Earlier this year, Bollywood was rocked to the core by “casting couch” allegations, meaning that sex is being traded for film roles. But what is really going on?
Bollywood: The Casting Couch
Wednesday, 26 October, 2005
1900 BST on BBC Two
Bollywood is India’s City of Dreams and the cornerstone of the largest film industry in the world.
Indian film stars have a status that outstrips even their Hollywood peers and are treated like living gods by their legions of fans.
But when on-screen villain Shakti Kapoor was exposed as a real-life bad boy - after being secretly filmed asking for sex in return for making an undercover reporter a star - a national scandal ensued.
His career had been seemingly undermined by one drunken night of hidden camera footage in a seedy hotel room.
Shakti Kapoor was banned from the film and TV guild organisation but other industry groups have come out in his support, saying he has been framed.
Sleazy “casting couch” allegations are not something Bollywood - with its clean-cut image - it used to. Sex scandal
The BBC’s Tanya Datta investigates a subject that India’s celebrity elite would rather not mention and the country’s entertainment media shy away from.
Is the world’s most popular cinema industry - renowned for the moralising tone of its storylines - actually built on a foundation of sexual corruption?
For the first time ever, big names like movie mogul Mahesh Bhatt and author Shobha De, as well as young actresses themselves, speak out.
Shobha De thinks that the growing informality within Bollywood has led to things getting too personal.
She tells us: “An intelligent girl knows exactly what is meant when a producer says: ‘Meet me in a suite at 11 at night.’” We track the scandal and have exclusive behind-the-scenes access to film sets, celebrity parties and the actor who found himself very much in the spotlight: Shakti Kapoor.
This has been going on in Bollywood for a long time even big names like Madhuri had to do that in the begining to become famous.. to have sex with director and producer for film roles.
Big deal man...they have known this for ages...fact is these people like shakti kapoor can take advantage of girls who are willing to do anything to get into a movie...if thats the case you might aswel get your piece...
Girls know the deal so they shouldnt complain...this happens in any form of employment...if you want it bad enough there will be someone in a high position willing to take advantage of it...
Its just in this profession girls know thats something they need to do...unless you have a strong family link within the industry you are gonna have to **** your way in...its just the same in hollywood...Sharon Stone had a quote...
You cant **** your way to the top just the middle....once your in your cool...but to get in...
This has been going on in Bollywood for a long time even big names like Madhuri had to do that in the begining to become famous.. to have sex with director and producer for film roles
hello !!! you cant just put in your imagination !!! though i myself dont like her , she never did that !!!! and as for the crouch , ya not only shakti kapoor but aman verma also was found demanding sex for role . there is one line kapoor said to the girl "i want to make love to"
^not imagination...an indian guy who had worked in bollywood told me about the background of madhuri.she had to have an affair with this hot shot indian producer i dont know remember the name yash chopra may be to make it to the top.
Lol dont quote me...but i was always told that the lollywood industry all hail from heer mandhi...instead of money you get a film...hookers have to fake it all the time and they learn the dance routines at work so it seems logical that they get hired...
Pallav...
Lol did it upset you that a girl who is sooo squeaky clean and principled on screen isnt liked that in real life...lol a lot of people do this in life man...if you want something bad enoiugh you gotta do something for it...and as an aspiring actress you know what you need to do...if you dont like it then dont do it...shakti kapoor is just one man out of many who abuses their position of power but to show sympathy to these girls is ridiculous...
But i know how it feels to learn that what they are on screen isnt how they are in real life...i remember when i found out jesse from saved by the bell was playing a stripper in showgirls...i was shocked...and was like jesse cant be like that lol...but i have grown up and i suggest you do the same...
You are absolutely right.. It is common in all media, may be in Lollywood too. Waise I have’nt watched any Lollywood movie in my life, can anyone tell me the name of any superhit movie of Lollywood??? :halo:
