Actress Surveen Chawla, known for her impactful performance in Netflix’s Rana Naidu, has opened up about her harrowing experiences with casting couch and body shaming during her early years in the film industry. Speaking candidly on a recent podcast, Chawla recalled multiple disturbing encounters, particularly during screen tests and project discussions in the South Indian film industry.
In one particularly distressing instance, Chawla recounted a 12-hour screen test conducted by a National Award-winning Tamil director. “He gave me a monologue in Tamil, a language I did not understand, and expected me to memorize and perform it on camera. There were multiple costume changes, retakes, and look tests. I returned to Mumbai with a high fever,” she shared.
Days later, she received a call from the director’s associate, who allegedly acted inappropriately and, according to Chawla, “behaved more like a pimp.” She described how the director expressed a desire to come to Mumbai to “take care of her,” which made her uncomfortable. “The person never came to the point, so I asked directly, ‘Does sir want to sleep with me?’ I made it clear — I am not here to barter myself in exchange for work,” she stated firmly.
Chawla further revealed that the director continued to pursue her for the project, promoting his past work in an attempt to convince her. However, she noted that none of those films had been successful, adding, “Whatever didn’t work out for me either never released or bombed badly at the box office. And this didn’t happen once or twice — it happened around 20 times.”
In addition to her experiences with inappropriate advances, Chawla also addressed the body shaming she faced, especially in the South Indian film circuit. “During early meetings, I was questioned about my weight and my body. I was told things like ‘you need to put on weight for South roles’ and later, ‘you’re too lean for roles here’. Someone even commented, ‘Bossoms nahin hain, kuch hilega nahin, kuch bounce nahin hoga.’ There was absolutely no sophistication. I would give it back to them on the spot.”
Surveen Chawla’s brave revelations shed light on the persistent issues of exploitation and body shaming in the entertainment industry. Her experiences serve as a stark reminder of the challenges many actors face behind the screen, highlighting the need for greater accountability and safer working environments in cinema.
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