Actress Chahatt Khanna, known for her work in both television and films, has once again spoken out about the often-unseen and uncomfortable truths of the entertainment industry. In a recent interview, the Bade Achhe Lagte Hain star opened up about the troubling “compromise” culture that she says continues to exist in film contracts, particularly targeting newcomers.
“You have to compromise. Look, when you start your career, everybody comes for the newcomers because they know they are naive, they don’t know anything. But when you reach a point where you have some name, some recognition, of course that used to happen back then. They would say, ‘Madam, compromise,’ and I was like, ‘Okay,’ everywhere this happens, in the South too and they are very open about it. But as open as they are, they are also respectful toward women,” Chahatt shared candidly.
She highlighted that while the South Indian film industry tends to be more transparent about such expectations, Bollywood often masks it behind ambiguous language. Yet in both industries, the intent, she says, remains the same.
“The same thing happens here too. It’s just that here, it’s not openly said. They don’t say it directly. They don’t write it in the contract. I have met people who actually include ‘compromise’ in the contract. In the contract, it is written that you have to compromise with the hero, with the director, with the producer, basically everyone except the spot boy. So yes, I’ve heard these stories, seen them happen. But nobody ever came and pounced on me, or did anything that I had to talk about 10 years later,” she added, emphasizing that while she witnessed such practices, she was fortunate not to be directly affected.
Chahatt Khanna began her acting journey with the show Hero: Bhakti Hi Shakti Hai and went on to appear in popular television series like Kumkum – Ek Pyara Sa Bandhan and Kaajjal. However, it was her portrayal of Ayesha in Bade Achhe Lagte Hain and Nida in Qubool Hai that brought her widespread recognition. In addition to television, she has also featured in films such as Thank You, 7½ Phere: More Than a Wedding, Prassthanam, and Yaatris.
With her latest revelations, Chahatt once again brings to light the silent pressures faced by women in the industry, encouraging an ongoing conversation around ethics, consent, and transparency in showbiz.
