Shiv Thakare opens up about his casting couch experience: ‘She called me to audition at 11 pm’

Shiv Thakare gained nationwide fame after he appeared on Bigg Boss 16 but the reality show participant had been trying to score gigs in Mumbai since 2015. In a recent interview, Shiv opened up about facing casting couch in the city of dreams. He shared that it was after coming to Mumbai that he realised that not just women, but even men should be scared of predators in the city.

He shared with Hindustan Times, “Mumbai mein aane ke baad pata chala ki sirf ladkiyo ko dar nahi rehta yaha, ladko ko bhi dar rahta hai (After coming to Mumbai, I realised that not just women, even men are scared).” 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 recalled.

Shiv recalled 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. He shared, “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.”

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Aside from casting couch, Shiv said that there were a few people who 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 shared.

Shiv was a finalist on Bigg Boss 16 and finished his journey as the first runner up. He had previously participated on Bigg Boss Marathi and MTV Roadies Rising.