21 April,2026 01:10 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Hansika Motwani
Actress Hansika Motwani was recently asked for her thoughts on the casting couch in the film industry. The actress has been a part of the show business since she was a kid. After playing a pivotal character in the popular kids show Shaka Laka Boom Boom, Motwani quickly transitioned to playing lead roles in South cinema. However, her latest comment on the casting couch did not sit well with netizens, who called out her tone-deaf opinion on the sensitive subject. The actress said that she has never faced it and hence would not comment on it.
In an interview with Hauterrfly for their show The Male Feminist, Hansika Motwani was asked to address casting couch in the film industry. Several women over the years have spoken about the dark reality of the casting couch, where people in powerful positions seek favours from newcomers.
When the host suggested that she may have been spared the casting couch given her early entry into showbiz as a child artiste, Hansika responded, "Nahi, nahi⦠Aur mujhe pata hai ke kya lagta hai ke jisko kaam karna hai na, asli kaam, toh uske saath yeh sab hota nahi hoga. I come from that (thought) because mere saath nahi hua (No⦠And I believe that if someone genuinely wants to work, real work, then these things don't happen to them. I come from that mindset because it hasn't happened to me)."
The host then said that even though she has not personally experienced it, the topic cannot be brushed under the carpet as it is a reality of the industry.
"I honestly can't give a comment on this because I don't know," Hansika said adding, "Yeah, we can't avoid it, but I don't know about it."
Asli kaam by hansika motawani
by u/JuliusFreezzer in BollyBlindsNGossip
The clip from the interview made its way to the internet where netizens shared their thought on the video.
A user wrote, "Imagine a man is saying we can't brush it under the carpet and this woman is pretending like casting couch doesn't exist in "Asli kaam". What world are we living in."
Another person commented, "I don't know but I have observed this pattern that whenever someone talks about shady things going on industry, many actresses start avoiding the topic or saying nonsense to defend it."
"Everything I learn about this woman is against my will, and it's always something God Awful she's done," commented another person.
"I hate how these women answer questions like these - just say it didn't happen to you without acting like women and men who are victims of casting couch are somehow "less" than you. Hope she was asked about her and her ex being home wreckers though," wrote a netizen.
