New Delhi:
Suchitra Pillai never shies away from talking about her professional challenges. Recently, Suchitra opened up about her “casting couch” experience when she was asked to make a “compromise” in exchange for a role in a film. In an interview with Siddharth Kannan, the actress shared, “There are choices that you make. Sometimes opportunities come but with something…casting couch and all of that. Everybody at some point faces it. I have an intimidating look, so I haven’t really faced that. While joking people have said that I don’t do anything, but they have said it which means that they have seen it on my face that you can’t sc**w with me. I have received one-two calls from the South film industry.”
Suchitra Pillai continued, “One call came years ago. He said, ‘You want to do South films?’ I said, ‘I have already done a couple but yes.’ He said, ‘There is one very good film, starring a very big good actor and the director is also very big.’ He told me that I had to play the actor’s sister and that it’s a big role. I was like, ‘That’s great.’ He then said that a first-time producer is bankrolling the project.”
“I thought he was asking for a discount on my fees but he said, ‘It’s a first-time producer so little compromise is needed.’ I said, ‘Sorry.’ He reiterated, ‘Madam, he is a first-time producer, little compromise is needed.’ I told him do you even know who you are talking to. I have been in the industry for so many years but he said, ‘Director-actor thing is established but because the producer is new that’s why it’s only required one time.’ I told him you got the wrong person and the wrong number,” Suchitra Pillai added.
She went on to add, “In the industry, there are often opportunities that come with strings attached. Casting couch experiences are not uncommon..”
On the work front, Suchitra Pillai was last seen in Big Girls Don’t Cry. The series premiered on Prime Video in March this year. The show also featured Pooja Bhatt and Mukul Chadda in pivotal roles.
