‘Bigg Boss 16’ contestant Shiv Thakare opens up about his casting couch experience

Shiv Thakare, who gained national recognition after he appeared on the reality show ‘Bigg Boss 16’, opened up about his casting couch experience in a recent interview. He shared that after coming to Mumbai, he realised that not just women, but even men should be scared of predators in the city.

In an interview with Hindustan Times, Shiv recalled an incident where he went for an audition and was suggestively told by a man to come to a massage centre after that. ‘I once went for an audition in Aram Nagar and he took me to the bathroom and said, ‘Yahan pe massage centre hai (There is a massage centre here)’. I didn’t get the connection between an audition and a massage centre. He told me, ‘Ek baar aap aao yaha audition ke baad. Aap workout bhi karte ho… (Come here after the audition. You work out too…)’ I just left the place, since he was a casting director and I didn’t want to take any pangas (trouble). I am no Salman Khan. But I realised there is no discrimination between men and women when it comes to this (casting couch).’

He narrated another incident where a woman asked him to come and audition at 11 pm and when he tried to refuse, she asked him if he does not want to work.

‘There was a ma’am in Four Bungalows. She would tell me, ‘Maine isko banaya hai, maine usko banaya hai (I’ve made this person a star)’. She was calling me for an audition at 11 in the night. Itna bhola toh nahi hoon main ki (I’m not that innocent that) I won’t understand what auditions happen at night. So, I told her that I have some work and I cannot make it. To this, she said, ‘Kaam nahi karna? (Don’t you want to work?)’ ‘You won’t get work in the industry’ and other such things. So they would demotivate you and manipulate you. But I would never get bothered by it,’ he said.

Shiv also shared how a few people tried to get money out of him in exchange for a role. ‘A lot of people have asked me for money, saying you give us money and we will get you good gigs. I just knew this basic thing that if I don’t fit in a character, no one can push me for a role,’ he said.

Shiv Thakare was the first runner-up on ‘Bigg Boss’. He previously participated in ‘Bigg Boss’ Marathi and ‘MTV Roadies Rising’.

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