Swara Bhasker recalls when a director insisted on rehearsing a romantic scene alone with her

Swara Bhasker. Pic via X

Actress Swara Bhasker recently recalled an uncomfortable experience she faced with a director early in her career
The actress shared that a filmmaker repeatedly crossed boundaries with her while she was shooting the film, shortly after the success of Tanu Weds Manu.

Swara Bhasker recalls harrowing incident

While speaking on Rise and Fall Season 2, Swara recalled, "Mera ek film tha, uska saala director peeche padh gaya dimaag ka dahi kar diya just after Tanu weds Manu, it was my big lead film. chappan din ka shoot, hum heroine hai uske. Pehele samjhane laga jo director hai na usse actress se pyaar hona chahiye aise hona chahiye waise hona chahiye maine kaha theeke hai sahi hai sir.... (I had a film, and its director kept pursuing me he drove me crazy, This was just after Tanu Weds Manu, it was my big lead film, It was a 56-day shoot, and I was the heroine. First, he started explaining that a director should fall in love with his actress, that this is how it should be and that is how it should be. I said, okay, fine, sir)"

She added that things became more uncomfortable when the director suggested rehearsing a romantic sequence privately. Swara revealed she questioned why the rehearsal needed to happen between just the two of them

She recalled, "Phir isne kya kiya ek isme love scene tha matlab gaana tha jisme thodha romantic tha. Toh usne bola rehersal karenge iss scene ka toh maine kaha kaun kaun hai iss scene mein toh kehta hai you and me will discuss this toh maine kaha nahi - you call the actor you call the camera person agar rehearsal hai toh saare log karenge na hum akele kahe karenge (Then what he did was, there was a love scene in the film, a song which was slightly romantic. So he said we will rehearse this scene. I asked who all are in this scene? He said, 'You and I will discuss this.' So I said 'No, you call the actor, you call the camera person. If it is a rehearsal, then everyone should be there. Why should we do it alone?')"

Swara Bhasker says drunk director asked ger for a hug

Swara also recalled another incident at a guest house where she found herself with the director and cinematographer, who were both drinking. The actress questioned why a young woman in her early 20s was expected to rehearse or have a reading in such a setting.

"Can you imagine why a young woman- a girl who is in her early 20s, do sharabiyo ke beech mein mujhe kyu rehearsal karana chahiye ya reading karana chahiye.. (Can you imagine why a young woman, a girl who is in her early 20s, should be made to rehearse or do a reading between two drunk men?)," she shared.

Swara further recalled, "Raat mein aaya aur knock kar raha hai darwaje pe... maine darwaza khola.. Maine kaha kya ho gaya sir kehta hai can i get a hug i was like no, you cannot get a hug...(He came at night and was knocking on the door. I opened the door and asked, 'What happened, sir?' He said, 'Can I get a hug?' I was like, 'No, you cannot get a hug')"