Casting couch is not just confined to women: Divya Dutta

Actor Divya Dutta talks about the issue of casting couch and what a woman’s approach should be towards this kind of a hazard.

In the wake of the latest controversy over casting couch, where Tamil actor Varalakshmi Sarathkuma spoke about how a TV head honcho made an indecent proposal to her; many Indian actors have shown their displeasure. Among them is actor Divya Dutta, who thinks that the issue isn’t gender specific, and the society needs to address it collectively.

Actor Divya Dutta says tackling the issue of casting couch depends on every actor’s approach towards his or her career. (Shakti Yadav)

“There are all kinds of people everywhere. It depends on what a woman wants. Wherever there is ambition, wherever there are opportunities, there are bound to be these kind of proposals. It is not just confined to women, it also happens to men. We can’t say it’s a woman’s problem. This is the society’s problem at large,” says the actor, who has been part of critically acclaimed films such as Gippi (2013), Badlapur (2015) and Bhaag Milkha Bhaag (2013).

The actor considers herself fortunate to never faced such a situation.

“I have been fortunate enough to have never encountered this. What a woman needs is a good family background and strong support from friends and I had it. If you don’t have a family and you need friends then you may get lost in this world because this is a very unpredictable profession. So, find your own way and enjoy it. If you find it difficult, then look for other options. Don’t make a do and die situation out of it,” says Dutta.

“As a woman and as someone who believes very strongly in herself, I think it is basically and ultimately your own choice. You can think that ‘okay my journey can be slow and I might not be launched in the biggest ways but I will make it anyway’, and then no one is going to ask you anything. If you give in for whatever reasons, then people will come to you,” she says.

Actors such as Tisca Chopra, Ranveer Singh and Surveen Chawla too have recently spoken about facing casting couch in the film industry.

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