Surveen Chawla recalls industry silence and compromise that nearly drove her out of films

Actor Surveen Chawla has opened up about a difficult phase in her career, revealing that she nearly quit the film industry due to repeated encounters with the casting couch. Her account offers a pointed reminder that exploitation still exists despite greater awareness in the post-#MeToo era.

In a recent interview with Siddharth Kannan, Surveen recalled a time when compromising one’s integrity felt like an industry norm. “There was a time when it was all about casting couch. It just felt dirty to even step out and I was like, ‘I don’t want to do this’,” she said. “It was almost like it was trending,” she added, clarifying that she wasn’t referring to social media but to how widespread the issue had become.

Surveen admitted that choosing not to give in came at a cost. “Every time I would lose a part because I had the audacity to say no, or the audacity to just keep my ground in some way shape or form. But it was crazy,” she shared. That phase, she said, felt like a dead-end. “I felt like I have hit the end of the road... I can’t do this, this is not what I was here for.”

She also recounted a disturbing incident during a chat with Hauterrfly. The actor described an uncomfortable encounter with a director on Mumbai’s Veera Desai Road. “We had just spoken about my marriage inside his cabin — he even asked how my husband was doing… So, when I came to the door to say bye, he leaned towards me trying to kiss, and I had to push him back. I was startled and asked him what he was doing, and I just walked off.”

That moment stayed with her. “I had to push him back. I was startled… and I just walked off.” Surveen, who will next be seen in Netflix’s Mandala Murders, has chosen to speak openly about her past at a time when the industry is still navigating accountability and change. Her story is a reminder that behind the glamour, the struggle for dignity continues.