Casting couch fears cross over to London

British Asian actresses have ripped the lid off Bollywood’s casting couch by alleging that they were harassed and lured into extending sexual favours to help make their dreams of stardom a reality. Chelsea-based 16-year-old girl Jiah Khan was spotted by Mahesh Bhatt, when the veteran film director visited her mother Rabya, a former Indian actress in London, and told she had what it takes to become a star. Invited to play the love interest in a new Bollywood film, Jiah put her studies in London on hold and flew to Mumbai.

While emphatically saying Bhatt was not among those who harassed her, she said, ‘‘There was lot of harassment. I would check out my costume and be alone with someone who would then try it on me…I was told that there are thousands of actresses like me and I was replaceable.’’ Jiah flew to Dubai last year and began filming her role as the shy girl who wins the heart of an Indian boy in the film Zaroorat, a song and dance spectacular. But now she is back, saying ‘‘I was harassed and people tried it on, so I walked out,’’ she told The Times. ‘‘In one scene, I had to wear a swimsuit and jump around. I expected the filming to be professional, but some of the crew were whispering to each other and laughing. It made me feel uncomfortable… It was vulgar,’’ she alleged.

Jiah said she saw some actresses flaunting themselves at producers by sitting on their laps and holding their hands. ‘‘It was disgusting, but maybe that’s the way it works. You have to be flirtatious with the right people and make them feel that they are the most important people.’’ Jiah has shelved her plans to become a star and is working on a career as a singer.

Monica Riche, a 28-year-old British actress whose parents were Indian, was given a warning before going to Mumbai. Richie, who lives in Cranford, Middlesex, and spends half the year in Mumbai, said at an interview where she offered to do a screen test, a writer asked: ‘‘What else can you offer me? If I had gone to bed with him, I would probably have got the role,’’ she said.