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Television star-turned-film actor Nishant Malkani, who is awaiting the release of his third Bollywood film Ishq Ne Crazy Kiya Re, says casting couch is a stark reality in the film industry.
"I have been propositioned several times for big projects, but I avoid short cuts to success. People have approached me in a very subtle way; I had to use a lot of ingenuity to turn them down without creating a scene," says the actor, who rose to fame on the small screen with soaps Ram Milaayi Jodi and Sasural Genda Phool.
Coincidentally, he plays a music reality show contestant who catches the fancy of his producer (played by Mugdha Godse) in the upcoming film.
"However, my character believes in letting his talent speak for himself. He also falls in love with Ritu (Madhurima Banerjee), which does not go down well with Mugdha's character," he says.
Nishant is unruffled by the fact that his previous films - Horror Story and Bezubaan Ishq - tanked at the box office. "The only reason I did Horror Story was that it was helmed by Vikram Bhatt. And we all know that spooky films never gross Rs 100 crore. Horror Story was a small-budget film and it didn't run into losses," he explains.
About Bezubaan Ishq, he adds, "It did not do well because of some internal issues. We did not get enough number of screens."
He readily admits it's not easy to get a break in movies without a godfather. "It is a big risk for me to stay away from TV (he quit television in 2011), especially since I am getting big offers even now. But I am confident, as age is on my side."
We wish him better luck this time around.
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