SEX SCANDAL: Filmmakers title willing actresses prostitutes

The casting couch has been synonymous with the film industry for ages, and every now and then stray voices are heard alleging sexual misconduct on the part of producers, directors and even casting agents. ‘Compromising’ for a career in films is the key for aspiring actresses, a fact a Kannada TV news channel recently exploited for its sting operation on Sandalwood. Top directors including Guru Deshpande and Om Prakash Rao — who were caught in the act on a hidden camera with a girl posing to be a Sandalwood hopeful — were seen bragging about their exploits with some of the industry’s leading ladies, while also demanding sexual facours. The sting operation also exposed casting agents Babu and Manju, and producer Ravi among others.The truth revealedIn the exposé, casting agent Babu says to the ‘aspiring actress’, “The casting couch is common and actresses must be ready for these things. So, if you cater to my sexual needs, I will convince everyone else and ensure you bag the role.” Babu is also said to have his own serviced apartment, where his ‘encounters’ with actresses occur. Meanwhile, producer Ravi, who is above 50 years of age, proudly claims that he’s in a relationship with a teenaged actress. “I’m dating an upcoming actress who is just 19 years old. I’m able to satisfy all her needs and that’s the way I am,” he is seen saying.Blame the women?Om Prakash, who is at the centre of the scandal, puts the blame squarely on the women involved. Labeling actresses who accede to the man’s advances prostitutes, he says, “I’m no saint, but I haven’t made sexual advances towards any actress. More importantly, women today — who are educated and bold — can choose to revolt and file a complaint against me if they find my behaviour repulsive and threatening. But if they are not saying anything, it means that they are characterless and cheap.Why blame us?”Actor Jaggesh seems to agree with Om, when he tweeted, “Hesariro mandi cinema bedige tandiddare :) vyabicharigalu hennutanakke masi balidu heroien yandu pungutare, I respect our true Heroines.” [Actresses who give in to such sexual demands for money are prostitutes. They succeed, but by bringing a bad name to all women.” Om adds, “In the video, I’ve been shown trying to make physical advances towards a girl, but I’d like to say that it was plotted by them. They narrated a tragic story and one of the girls appeared distressed. I was asked to pacify her and I did just that, for the sake of humanity. They’ve taken that footage and used it to their advantage.”Other unexposed advancesWhile only a handful of people have been exposed, film personalities believe several such people exist in the industry. A one-film-old starlet says that a noted producer approached her at a party and said to her, “I can give you one break, but that will take you nowhere. However, if you become good friends with me, I could offer you a lot of films, just like I’ve offered several projects with plum roles to some leading actresses.”This casting couch issue is something that’s been prevalent every where since a long time. Sting operations like these will just point out few invloved in it and push others into their closet for the time being. Having female members in prominent position in respective unions might help to an extent, says BJ Bharat, Music Director