TV actress Shilpa Shinde has revealed a shocking incident from the early days of her career, alleging that she faced sexual harassment by a Bollywood filmmaker. Shilpa shared that during an audition, she was told to “seduce” the filmmaker, who was present at the audition venue. She recalled feeling uncomfortable and humiliated, stating that such experiences were common in the film industry, particularly for newcomers.
Shilpa revealed, “It was during my struggling days, around 1998-99. I cannot take names, but they told me, ‘Aap yeh kapde pehno aur yeh scene karo (wear these clothes and do this scene)’. I didn’t wear those clothes. In the scene, he told me he was my boss, and I had to seduce him. I was very innocent then, so I did the scene. That person tried to force himself on me, and I got so scared. I pushed him away and ran out. The security staff realised what had happened and asked me to leave immediately. They thought I would make a scene and call for help.”
Discussing regarding the heinous act of the person, she said, “His children are probably a little younger than me, and if I name him, they will suffer too… after a few years, I met him again, and he spoke to me kindly. He didn’t recognize me and even offered me a film role. I refused. He still doesn’t remember me.”
The actress, who became well-known for Bhabi Ji Ghar Par Hai, continued by saying that many other people in the business have had similar situations. While “some have run away,” she noted, “even with well-known figures,” others have told her they have encountered similar circumstances. Numerous celebrities, including Telugu star Nani, have lately voiced their dismay at the conclusions of the Hema Committee study, which exposed the appalling working conditions and widespread sexual harassment that women endure in the Malayalam film industry.
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