Actor Rashami Desai on facing casting couch at 16: My mother slapped him

Actor Rashami Desai recounted an incident when a man tried to make her unconscious during an audition, and her mother taught him a lesson. She was speaking about the casting couch in the interview.

In Short

• Rashami Desai opened up about facing the casting couch early in her career
• She recounted an incident where a man tried to make her unconscious during an audition
• Rashami confided in her mother, who took immediate action against the man

Actor Rashami Desai has been working in the television and film industry for over two decades. In an interview now, she opened up about facing the casting couch when she had just begun her career. Rashami mentioned how a man tried to make her unconscious during an audition.

Rashami spoke to Bollywood Bubble and narrated the incident. She said she had talked about the same incident several times earlier, and even though it happened years ago, it is still fresh in her mind.

The 38-year-old shared, "Unfortunately, I experienced something like this, and I have spoken on many occasions about this. The internet is filled with so many such stories already. I remember I was called for an audition, and when I went there, there was no one else except (the man). I was just 16 back then, and he tried to make me unconscious. I was uncomfortable, but somehow managed to escape. After a few hours, I told everything to my mother."

Rashami, who also participated in Bigg Boss 13 with the late Sidharth Shukla and Shehnaaz Gill among others, added that she confided in her mother about the incident, who was quick to act.

The Uttaran star said his mother taught that man a lesson for life. Rashami explained, "I remember the next day, I went to meet him with my mother and my mother had slapped him to teach a lesson."

She went on to talk about finding good people in the industry later, and enjoying her work. Rashami said the casting couch is a part of every industry, and one has to design his/ her way without getting affected by such practices.

"Casting couch is a real thing, but then, every industry has good and bad people. I am fortunate to have worked with some fabulous people, with whom I have had good working experience. God has been kind," she concluded.

Rashami is known for her performances in TV shows like Dil Se Dil Tak, Naagin (2015), and many Bhojpuri movies.