Ratan Rajput Reveals Facing Casting Couch, Says Producer Told Her To Make Him Her Godfather

Many Bollywood actors have claimed about having to face the casting couch during the course of their acting careers in the past.

And one of the latest to open up about how a producer abused his power to exploit an actor is actress Ratan Rajput, who played the character 'Laali' in the daily soap ¡®Agle Janam Mohe Bitiya Hi Kijo.¡¯

web screen grab

Ratan Rajput revealed how a 60-year-old producer left her traumatized by insulting her when she was only 14 years old.

"It was 14 years ago today. I had just moved to Mumbai. There was a 60-65-year-old man. He insulted me. Said, Look at your hair, look at your skin, how they are dressed. You have to change your entire look. You need a complete make-over, it will cost around 2 to 2.5 lakh rupees to get all this done. But why should I spend money on you? If you want me to spend money on you, you have to make me your godfather. You have to be my friend," Ratan Rajput was quoted as saying by Zeenews.india.com while speaking of the casting couch incident.

web screen grab

The actress, who won audiences' hearts with her role of Laali in the popular TV serial further said that she was ¡®surprised¡¯ at how the man behaved and even told him that he was of the same age as her father. She claimed that the man even wanted to 'befriend' her.

"How can I be friends with you? Yes, I respect you. I will do as you say. Listen to my words. After that, the man got angry with me. And he started saying that I will not do anything for free, here only friendship happens. If you want to enter the acting world then stop all this drama. Be a little smart," the actress recalled as per reports.

web screen grab

Ratan further said that the man got angry and said that even if his daughter wanted to become an actress he would have slept with her too. She said that she was shocked to hear that from him and she left immediately.

Though the man didn¡¯t do anything to her she claimed that his words affected her in a way that she didn¡¯t meet anyone for a whole month. Prachi Desai, Ankita Lokhande, Tisca Chopra, are some of the actors who have already opened up about facing the casting couch in the industry.

(For more news and updates from the world of celebrities from Bollywood and Hollywood, keep reading Indiatimes Entertainment, and let us know your thoughts on this story in the comments below.)