here is the story of Nikhat Khan, who deservedly makes a place in our new section, Heroes of Bollywood...
When I came to Mumbai, I didn't know anything but I dreamt of getting into acting. I wanted to try my luck in Bollywood and I was confident that I will be able to do it, given that I have been a part of Roadies X1.
As soon as I came to Mumbai, I started hunting for a house. The broker showed me a house in Andheri's Veera Desai area. The first question that the owner asked was 'Beta, tumhara naam kya hai?' I said Nikhat, to which she said, 'Full name?' I replied 'Khan', to which she gave me a dirty stare. I saw the house and told her that it is nice place and I would want to stay there. As soon as I left the place, the broker called me up and said that because I am a Muslim, I cannot stay there. Mujhe mooh par bol diya and I was too shocked. In the next house I saw, the owner asked me my profession. I said - actor, to which she was a little hesitant. Then she asked me to show my id card, on which she saw my name 'Nikhat Khan'. Even she refused to give me a house.
Such incidents happened with me quite a few times. Then my broker showed me a house in Yari Road area where I could finally stay. The room mate there was fishy. I was new to Mumbai and I didn't know anything so I stayed there for few days. We were 4 girls staying in one single room, which made me feel claustrophobic. One of the roommates tried to get over friendly with me. She took me to a near by coffee shop where everybody was smoking pot. I felt main kahan aake phas gayi. The next day in the house she was smoking MD, which I was unaware about. She got high after consuming drugs and walked upto me and said 'I want to smooch you'. I was taken aback. And she was so high and aggressive that she kept on insisting me to do it once and said 'Nikhat aage chal ke ye sab karna hi padega'. I somehow managed to leave the house that night and went to my sister's place. I returned the next day. I didn't know how long does the effect of drug stays so I assumed she must be fine. That day, she told me lets go and hang out together. I didn't have friends back then in Mumbai so I agreed. She called some shady looking friend of hers and we set off for a drive. I realized later that they took me to Manori. They were consuming MD on the way and kept forcing me to have it. Both my roommate and her friend tried to manipulate me to such an extent that they also told me that I will be hell bent upon having a sugar daddy to survive in the city.
I felt trapped. I was choked and all I could think was to find a way to escape. They kept telling me that I will have to sleep with someone to get work, so it is better to sleep with the people we tell you. Because then at least you will get good work. For that time I said yes, because they were too aggressive and thought that abhi toh kuch nahi karna baad me dekha jayega. That night we returned, and the next day I returned to Indore. I stayed there for almost 2 months.
Then on Facebook I saw a post which read that models were required for Blender's Pride Fashion week. I contacted the coordinator and he asked me to come down. He spoke to the rest of the girls and told me that he will talk to me in private. He told me, 'Nikhat, you know how the modelling world is'. And honestly, back then I didn't know this. I had finished my studies and come here. Roadies was a clean show and there was no such experience. He continued explaining to me 'It is all about pleasure. There are big parties which happen where famous people come. You are a young girl, who wants to have fun. So what is wrong in being paid for it?'
It was baffling and unreal. Who would know that in this day and age casting couch is a reality. People would tell me - 'You don't have to go below the belt. You will have to be with the rich people in the swimming pool or with them in the bathtub or in a shower... Ramp will be easier'. I had goosebumps. I asked him whether it is necessary to do this to which he replied that this modelling industry is like that - you have to do it to get paid well. I decided to walk out.
Slowly, I was getting used to this. I had once gone for the auditions for a South film, where the producers didn't even check my audition and told me - 'You will have to sleep with us to get this role. The other girls are all ready'. They asked me to wear skimpy and tight clothes because they liked my face cut and thought I was pretty. But they had one issue. They said I didn't have the perfect vital stats. 'In South the audience is used to see women with big b***s. So we will have to do some padding and all. You are not a star kid. So we need something in return,' the producer had told me. And the sexual favours are not once, they will expect it till the time the film is running in the theatres.
My coordinator understood my problem but he reasoned saying, 'Don't be so rude with the producers. They are putting in their money so they will obviously expect something in return. And what is the harm in sleeping with them? You will get a film.'
Be it brokers or model coordinators, they would message at 1.30 am in the night and would request me to send some sexy pictures. I have blocked most of them. One of the brokers who helped me get my first house once met me and asked me if I was into drugs. He tried to manipulate me and tried to force me to get into drugs. Thank god I was smart enough to understand and stayed away from him.
Then I shifted my focus to theatre and luckily there I have met more good people than bad ones. Though there have been few senior artists who have tried to take advantage, there are many who have been very good friends and have guided me. Prithvi theatre is the place where I found my life. It is my second home in Mumbai and now I am finally getting to do what I always desired for. I never thought of giving up despite so many odds and now I am happy with whatever has happened.
Anupamaa
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