TVu00a0may beu00a0booming but aspiringu00a0actorsu00a0stillu00a0liveu00a0sixu00a0to a room.u00a0And at work,the castingu00a0couchu00a0isu00a0stillu00a0theiru00a0biggest challenge

Inderjit Mahant will never forget an incident that occurred about a year ago. The 20-year-old, who has done roles in Kasturi, Koi Aane Ko Hai and recently bagged Pyaar Ka Bandhan, ran into a model coordinator at an audition who offered him a commercial. "He asked me to meet him in the make-up room. He told me it was an underwear ad and my hoardings would be all over town. I said okay," he says. The model coordinator then asked Inderjit to strip. "He said he wanted to check out my physique.

I was okay with removing my shirt but when he asked me to take off my pants, I didn't feel right. I understood what he was indirectly implying and told him I was straight. Then he said 'Ek baar compromise karle, bahut achcha break doonga'." Inderjit yelled at him and walked out. Later that day, he told his father what had happened. His father, who was always against Inderjit's acting dreams did say I-told-you-so but added that now that he was in the industry, Inderjit had to stand up for himself.

Former Delhiite Amit Roshan, who will soon feature in an upcoming soap, has faced the casting couch too, only this was in the fashion industry. "Earlier, I used to walk the ramp to make a quick buck. One guy told me to compromise, he said this is how the industry works but I refused," he says.u00a0

Television producer Rajan Shahi whose Bidaai, Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlaata Hai and Swarg are current hits, was once offered 'meetings' with girls by a model coordinator. "I just lost it! I threw him out and told my supervising producer that we didn't ever want to work with that coordinator," he says.

Bribe traps too

Casting director Dimpy Sinha who has worked on shows Naa Aana Iss Des Laado, Choti Bahu and Radhaa ki Betiyaan Kuch Kar Dikhaayengi, isn't surprised. According to her, the casting couch does exist as does the concept of bribe. "Most struggling actors fall prey to both," she says.

Dimpy herself has been offered 10 per cent cuts by actors in return for work and had to firmly turn them down. "Some actors pay their coordinators 20 per cent extra to get work." But she wants to make it clear that 'compromise' doesn't lead to more work, not on television at least.

Amit Roshan fixes chai in his flat. He has been waiting for his big break for three years now Read More Read Next Story Markets to remain volatile with negative bias: Analysts› Trending Stories Latest Photos Latest Videos Latest Web Stories ADVERTISEMENT Mid-Day Fast ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT