In a recent interview, Madalsa Sharma got candid about casting couch experiences. From sharing her own stories to revealing what kept her safeguarded, here's everything you need to know.
Madalsa Sharma may be the legendary actor, Mithun Chakraborthy’s daughter-in-law, but she has acquired her own fame as a top-notch actress. She is best known for her role as ‘Kavya Gandhi’ on the popular daily soap, Anupamaa. However, Madalsa parted ways with the show not too long ago on September 16, 2024. The talented actress recently sat down for an interview with Siddharth Kannan and talked about several things, including her jarring casting couch experiences.
Unfortunately, like several actresses across the Indian film and TV industry, Madalsa is no stranger to the horrible casting couch experience. While in conversation with Siddharth Kannan, Madalsa looked back over her days as a newcomer in the industry.
Madalsa candidly revealed that aspiring actors feel immense pressure to land roles, and that some industry bigwigs are always looking to take advantage of that. Speaking about how she learnt to spot the signs that a meeting wasn’t going in the right direction, she said:
“People are very casual. They think maybe we can talk it out. What is the first sign? If someone is doing a meeting with you, a big director or maker, the first question that comes is, ‘What are you doing this evening? Let's meet for dinner.’ So when I started early, I got to know how people talk. This meeting went exceptionally well. So they call me for dinner or say, 'Let's get to know each other'. So these things kind of don't go well.”
Madalsa then got candid about one of her own disturbing experiences as an industry newcomer. The actress told Siddharth that someone in the industry had tried to take advantage of her ambitions. While Madalsa did not drop any names, she did reveal that the person was a powerful figure.
However, Madalsa never gave in to the pressures because of her parents and the values they instilled in her. Elaborating on her mom’s influence in her personal and professional life, she said:
“I was always guarded. My mom had a strong influence in my life on what films I should do or not do. So with all these encounters, I became so selective to even meet the kind of people I wanted to meet. Ultimately, aapko pata hai ki aapko kis tarah ka kaam karna hai toh jab aapko us raaste jana hi nahi hai toh kyu karna ye sab. You know that they might be the best people to work with but you don't want to do it.”
Madalsa Sharma concluded that casting couch experiences were, unfortunately, all too common in the industry. However, she emphasised that what matters the most is how one handles such situations. Speaking about her own firm decision to never entertain such experiences, she said:
“I have been clear in my mind, and I know that my parents have raised me well. I'm representing them today, so how people see me is how they see my parents.”
What do you think of Madalsa Sharma’s revelations about her casting couch experiences? Let us know.
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