“I have been (sexually) propositioned… I never ended up working with that actor,” actor Isha Koppikar told in a recent interview to Pinkvilla as she recalled a movie offer, where the producer asked her to “get into the good books” of actors.
Starting her career as a model in ads, Isha Koppikar made her movie debut with Telugu movie Chandralekha and later got a break with the song ‘Khallas’ in Bollywood movie Company. However, she said she faced problems when she had to break into the film industry. The actor alleged that she was replaced and rejected for several roles due to nepotism and for declining a sexual advance.
Recalling the one instance where an actor wanted her to meet him alone, she said, “A producer approached me for a movie and asked me to call the actor. He even explained the actor’s daily routine, even that he is an early morning person.”
When Isha called the actor, he asked her to meet him in between his dubbing. He then allegedly enquired who was accompanying her. “When I told him that I will be coming with my driver, he asked me not to come with anybody, because these are the people who spread rumours,” she recalled.
“I was not 15 or 16 then. I knew what was happening. So I told him that I was not free the next day and that I will let him know later,” she added.
Isha then called the producer, telling him that he should cast her for her talent and that she can't be forced into doing “all these things for a role”.
“That is what is intimidating for a lot of actors. When a woman says no, they can't take it. Temporarily, you are written off... I never ended up working with that actor,” she said.
She also accused top secretaries of actors for touching her inappropriately.
In an earlier interview to Pinkvilla on Me Too movement, Isha had said that if a woman gives in to an indecent proposal, the man cannot be blamed then.
“At that point, whatever it is, she has the right to refuse it…. After doing that (giving in), you cannot after four, five or 10 years blame the man. But if a woman is forced, raped, molested and drugged, then the perpetrator needs to be hanged,” she said.
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