Saroj Khan has always been someone, who has never minced her words. At least since she retired, she has been answering questions without censoring herself. It’s not the first time and it won’t be the last. She is one of those elderly ladies, who can’t control herself. She once said that Salman Khan cursed at her because he thought that she gave better steps to Aamir Khan for one of their songs in ‘Andaz Apna Apna’.
What she said today, though, you must have heard about it by now. Here’s what she said:
This (casting couch) has been going on since the beginning of time. It hasn’t started now. Someone or the other tries to take advantage of every other girl. The government’s people do it too. Then why are you after the film industry? It provides livelihood at least. Does not rape and leave you. It depends on the girl, what she wants to do. If you don’t want to fall in wrong hands, you won’t. If you have art, then why would you sell yourself? Don’t take film industry’s name, it is everything for us.
So from what we are understanding, she said that the casting couch thing has been going on for centuries. As in, powerful people have been taking advantage of their situation. She is saying that casting couch happens in every industry, not just the film industry, because there are powerful people in every industry not just in Bollywood.
She goes on to mention that just because you are being propositioned doesn’t mean that you have to accept it. You have a choice and she is saying that if you have talent, why would you want someone powerful to take advantage of you?
It depends on the girl, if she wants to be on the ‘casting couch’ or not. Why would you want to sell yourself if you are confident about your talent?
What she said made sense, so why are some people mad? She is right because this situation exists in every industry. Most often than not, it’s the women who face this problem. It doesn’t matter who you are, even if you just started out or someone of a high position, there will always be someone with power who will try something. At the end of the day, the choice is yours.
In the film industry or any other industry that gives you fame, powerful people tend to take advantage of young talents because they know that these young people are desperate and will do anything. But, there’s always a choice. Those, who go through it and are victims, should come out and say something. But then, most people won’t because they know that they will have to face the repercussions of being the whistle-blowers!
The way it goes, if someone went through the casting couch to get something and ended up getting it, you won’t hear them complaining or saying something. When the Harvey Weinstein stories came out, we recalled only one actress coming out and admitted that she did go into that hotel room even though she knew what she was expected to do. There are so many actresses, who gave in but they didn’t say a thing about it. We are talking about really popular actresses, not someone that nobody knows!
Naturally with the backlash that she received, Saroj Khan had to issue an apology by saying that she was asked a question to which she gave this answer.
As the way media people work, they asked celebrities at launches their thoughts about this topic. So, they asked celebrities about casting couch. Guess who was the first celebrity they asked this question to:
Yes, the same man who had a blind item written about the way he performed on the sets. By “performed” we meant the way his working life works.
Here’s what he said when he was asked about the casting couch:
For some reason in the same article, they quoted what Salman Khan said when he was asked about the casting couch. Here’s what Bollywood’s Ultimate Godfather said:
how convenient is it to use the word fake feminist..??
when u agree with smthng thats genuine and when u dont and say 30% other ppl agree that its wrong,theyr fake feminists..??
Sweetie, let me bring some perspective here. I think you might be taking this as a personal affront?
You know what I consider a fake feminist? 1. Someone who is always bleating about feminism, meanwhile is complaining when he/she is not given special treatment for being a woman or 2. as in this case, someone who has no problems in sleeping with men for favors YET maligns Saroj for speaking the truth about this industry.
The person I am referring to as a ‘fake feminist’ is Person 2.
I am not naming her outright because she is connected to influential people. People have been banned from accessing Shitvilla for mentioning her associations and ‘favors’. This individual has been the most vocal celebrity against Saroj in this whole controversy, something I find both ironic and moronic. The last time this person was did any big projects in the mid to late 2000’s, and even then a C-lister as best. She has no movies/no music/no TV shows/no Radio shows, etc. yet these days she is a ‘socialite’ and is always jet-setting to foreign locations, attending parties dressed up in designer wear and gets to plug some minor endorsements on her social media. How so? Thank her billionaire sugar daddy.When someone like this makes a statement about the casting couch and men taking advantage of women, it totally removes the legitimacy of their so called ‘progressive’ and ‘feminist views’.
Well, it seems this statement has brought out a tide of fake feminism online, but like the Admin I don’t see anything wrong with it.
I really think that people are cherry-picking parts of her statement to suit their agenda and revel in some mock outrage.
How many people have the guts to say something that people are afraid to accept because it is politically incorrect. Saroj is one of the last few people in the industry who will give a genuine answer to a question instead of ass-kissery.
First of all, she is right is saying that the movie industry cannot be SOLELY maligned for the casting couch. Hell, this
This is the same situation that happened with the while Weinstein scenario. There were women who were propositioned by him, and while the imbalance of power was VERY wrong, there are also actresses who WILLINGLY slept with him for roles. I think these are the people who Saroj is referring to.
I consider these actresses, who willingly sleep for roles the same pedestral as Weinstein, because not only are they complicit, they sets a bad precedent for those women who want to be promoted on the basis of their talent and hardwork.
True!
Yea but the movie industry has opinion on everything. If movie industry is like other industries then they should just shut up and do their work. No other industry goes out to criticise others like industrywallahs do. No other industry has this holier than thou attitude and acting as if they are contributing to betterment of society. If you cant clean your own backyard, if you admit that you are similar to other in spreading filth then you shouldn’t criticise the municipality for dirty roads.
Leave this senile powerless woman alone and target the entitled asshole prick ‘THE KAPOOR SCION” for making an extremely crass and insensitive remark on casting couch…That shithead talks as though he does not know casting couch does not exist. His own imbecile family were involved in it.
Media and people are too focused on what these big stars say rather than their actual actions.
Powerless people have different viewpoint, they are just trying to survive..morality should come from people with power.
Not all casting couches lead to roles in films. Many are just exploited and left. Imagine selling your soul to land a role in a movie for ur dream of becoming a star and realize they are just messing with you. Its like luring a child with chocolate and violating that child.
Exploiting someone’s weakness just for your personal gratification that too when the other person is desperate and under pressure is one of the lowest things a human can do.
i find her comments shocking to say the least bcos it promotes the idea that a powerful person bullying smone into giving them favours is ok..its upto u to do it or not kind of statement..it partly leaves the responsibility on the lady/victim here..
agreed in every field thr is harassment and thr r times when for example while studying a professor tried to take advantage of students on the pretext of failing them and worse stuff but we cud atlst go and complain to ur dean..its not easy to come out n tell the whole college but its more easier to talk to one person and get the issue sorted and not have to entertain assholes like tht..sadly the film industry does not have any HR department ,a dean or anyone for that matter who takes these complaints seriously..imagine if me complaining to my dean wud mean me gtn dismissed from collg and all work later on..?? what wud that mean for me..?? thats a toxic work environment whr its made to look like u can only say yes or say goodbye to ur dreams..
if given a choice wud a 20 year old something sleep with a 60 year old..?? she might if she WANTS to do it whole heartedly , but, to get a film she HAS to do it..see there is a difference..
just bcos it happens everywhr doesnt mean its ok and secondly how badly does it happen is also important to consider..in remaining professions i wud say 10 to 20% is polluted with creeps like that but cant say the same for the film industry can we..??
and how easily can their victims approach for help and get help they need..??
and why is it a womans responsibility to say no and be jobless for a while ,when actually its the man who should be taught he cant ask sexual favours from women/men who knock on his door for work, hes not entitled to it, that wud be him misusing his power, and he shud be taught that the next time he creates a situation whr he crosses a line he can be punished and he will be the one whos jobless after that..but in film industry it works other way round..work ethics
It’s an Asian mentality. The fact that women are blamed for all of men’s wrongdoings, letting men off the hook at the same time – ma ne kaisi tarbiyat di hai, ghar me ma behan nahi hai, biwi sambhal nahi pa rahi etc etc.
I didn’t find anything wrong with Saroj Khan’s statements,except for the these lines “It provides livelihood at least. Does not rape and leave you. ”
I think she is misinterpreted and all the fake feminists are giving statements because of these two lines. I think Saroj wanted to defend film industry which gave her a livelihood and doesn’t want everyone to blame the film industry alone for casting couch. She is very frank in her opinions and not a pretentious one…And the thing with her and Salman,I am sure that has happened. Salman has a temper and weird understanding of loyalty..
The real liars are Salman Khan and Ranbir Kapoor… It’s they who are playboys and have a harem of girls with whom they sleep. It looks so fake coming from their mouth….
According to me, Victims are only those persons who refused to casting couch and missed out on the roles because of that….
What she said was indefensible. If she is saying that the powerful persons preying on the weak is ok then there is no need for democracy or liberty ! Secondly no other industry or their people from the industry go out and comment on every social issue under the sun, except film industry. Hollywood was at forefront for criticizing Trump but all of them were ousted as hypocrites when Harvey Weinstein episode came to light. Bollywood, especially Sonam and her ilk needs to stop being hypocrite. Clean your own filth first and help your own fraternity before commenting on others.
Recently Sonam and her gang were going on about rapes…casting couch is a type of rape! It is utilizing your power into coercing someone into doing an action they would not have done otherwise. It is similar to what that thug Asaram did. And what Bollywood and Saroj Khan are still silent about is the fact the child artistes are the biggest victims of casting couch. Do you think a 14-15 year old girl realizes that she is being exploited ? Casting couch is first step to high-profile drug and sex trafficking.
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