Anu Aggarwal, who became a household name with her iconic debut in the 90s hit Aashiqui, recently opened up in an interview about one of the most controversial and often hushed-up realities of the film industry—the casting couch. With a calm yet piercing candor, the actress questioned the industry’s persistent denial and the societal hypocrisy that surrounds the topic.
“Why are we pretending?” she asked bluntly, breaking the silence that often cloaks this uncomfortable subject. Anu, who worked with renowned directors including Mahesh Bhatt, emphasized that her professional boundaries remained intact throughout her career. “There was no ‘hanky-panky’,” she said, firmly stating that she was never subjected to any casting couch advances.
But her comments didn’t stop at her personal experience. Anu widened the lens, pointing out how this power dynamic isn’t unique to Bollywood. “Kahan nahi hai casting couch?” she asked rhetorically, drawing attention to its presence in banks, offices, and other professional spheres. “Kya baat kar rahe ho aap? Why are we pretending? Everywhere there’s casting couch. Since life has started, there’s man and woman, and there are two energies, male and female, their union is something that everybody wants. That’s what’s entire history of Earth.”
She also pushed back against the narrative that vilifies individuals or frames the issue in absolute moral terms. “So, what is ‘Yeh bura hai’ kya bura hai? So, at the end of the day, if you didn’t make it, kya bura hai—when you don’t use your potential, that is bura. What’s the big deal being made about casting couch?”
In a landscape where such honesty is rare, Anu Aggarwal’s perspective offers a thought-provoking and controversial take on a deeply embedded issue.
