What is Casting couch?

Let's assume you are a cobbler. The only which way you can put food on the table is by working on other's shoes. Now suddenly a guy comes to collect hafta (In case you dunno hafta is like protection money, but really extortion of hawkers and streetside sellers by 'bhai's or corrupt police officers). Now you feel obliged to shell out the money in order to be able to continue earning your livelihood. 

Casting couch is similar but much worse. Not only at stake is much more valuable than money, you don't even know if there will be any returns. You could also land up in jail (cough Madhur cough)!

It's Sexual Harassment + much more. And the way film industry lures people (I personally know scores of people who ran to Mumbai to work in films, and it of course it didn't work out. Real people. Lots!), it's exploitation of innocent girls (and guys!!).

I couldn't decide which option should I actually vote for. Casting couch is sexual harassment but with the consent of the victim I guess which makes it like prostitution. So, it is difficult to name. It's not rape for sure imo.

This content was originally posted by-DelusionalMe

I couldn't decide which option should I actually vote for. Casting couch is sexual harassment but with the consent of the victim I guess which makes it like prostitution. So, it is difficult to name. It's not rape for sure imo.

In prostitution it's your job to sleep with people and usually you know you'll be paid for your work.

Casting Couch: your job is to act in movies, but some sleazy powerful people want a piece of you in order to let you do your actual job. And you are NOT sure if you'll be rewarded for this sleeping around.

I personally would never consider it prostitution. These girls are not wh@res for the money. They are being exploited so they can keep their livelihood (& passion). So they can pay their bills and put food on the table!

This content was originally posted by-tapori

In prostitution it's your job to sleep with people and usually you know you'll be paid for your work.

Casting Couch: your job is to act in movies, but some sleazy powerful people want a piece of you in order to let you do your actual job. And you are NOT sure if you'll be rewarded for this sleeping around.

I personally would never consider it prostitution. These girls are not wh@res for the money. They are being exploited so they can keep their livelihood (& passion). So they can pay their bills and put food on the table!

Tabhi I said I'm confused to pick an option. I agree the girls having to deal with casting couch are not prostitutes and same goes for guys as well. What I meant was that people do it with consent of the individual in question. People in power abuse it but the person in question is also giving consent na? No one is forcing them to sleep or are they? In prostitution you get paid and here you might get a big movie project. Both ways people are earning livelihood. If a director/producer/actor is asking for sexual favor, the other party can always say no, isn't it? But some people are really desperate to get into movies that they agree. Ek movie k liye dignity kyu lose karni h bhai? Na bolo, bhad me jati movie. And then some BW people deny casting couch's existence like people would actually believe. Such leeches have made BW a scary place.

This content was originally posted by-DelusionalMe

Tabhi I said I'm confused to pick an option. I agree the girls having to deal with casting couch are not prostitutes and same goes for guys as well. What I meant was that people do it with consent of the individual in question. People in power abuse it but the person in question is also giving consent na? No one is forcing them to sleep or are they? In prostitution you get paid and here you might get a big movie project. Both ways people are earning livelihood. If a director/producer/actor is asking for sexual favor, the other party can always say no, isn't it? But some people are really desperate to get into movies that they agree. Ek movie k liye dignity kyu lose karni h bhai? Na bolo, bhad me jati movie. And then some BW people deny casting couch's existence like people would actually believe. Such leeches have made BW a scary place.

You don't have to be defensive. I respect your opinion. 👍🏼 But was just trying to put my point forward, which is this:

Usually actresses cannot say bhaad mein gayi movie is because that IS their livelihood. Maybe they're not educated enough or seriously lack work experience in other jobs. Of course not all but maybe a handful are like that.

It's like a person has been working as a teller in a bank for years, is told that in order to continue in office and get salary he'll have to give an ahemm ahemm job to his boss. If he says yes he can come to office tomorrow, if no he is fired....

This content was originally posted by-tapori

You don't have to be defensive. I respect your opinion. 👍🏼 But was just trying to put my point forward, which is this:

Usually actresses cannot say bhaad mein gayi movie is because that IS their livelihood. Maybe they're not educated enough or seriously lack work experience in other jobs. Of course not all but maybe a handful are like that.

It's like a person has been working as a teller in a bank for years, is told that in order to continue in office and get salary he'll have to give an ahemm ahemm job to his boss. If he says yes he can come to office tomorrow, if no he is fired....

I'm not being defensive, I'm also putting forward my point.

@bold I understand such people doing this but what I mean is if people start saying no to such leeches then this might end. The thing is some people are really desperate to get into movie business that they go to any lengths to grab a movie. Of course I'm not generalising, I'm talking about certain people. 

@italics I got what you were trying to say. I'm saying if everyone stops crumbling under the pressure and don't agree to such demands to kitno ko office se nikalenge? 

But the problem is quite big and deep rooted than it appears. I wish #metoo in India didn't turn into a joke. Kuch logon ko sahi but punishment milti to set ab example for future gen.

This content was originally posted by-DelusionalMe

I'm not being defensive, I'm also putting forward my point.

@bold I understand such people doing this but what I mean is if people start saying no to such leeches then this might end. The thing is some people are really desperate to get into movie business that they go to any lengths to grab a movie. Of course I'm not generalising, I'm talking about certain people. 

@italics I got what you were trying to say. I'm saying if everyone stops crumbling under the pressure and don't agree to such demands to kitno ko office se nikalenge? 

But the problem is quite big and deep rooted than it appears. I wish #metoo in India didn't turn into a joke. Kuch logon ko sahi but punishment milti to set ab example for future gen.

I think putting the onus on victims is not fair. There should be sustained outrage against this practice to ensure these leeches are either ostracised or afraid of abusing anyone else.

Being a third party it is easy for us to say the victim should have stood up, but then what of the losses she suffers is she declines...

Casting couch is all of these.

If it's without the person's consent, then it is rape or sexual harassment. 

If the person is consenting, then it's prostitution. 

My POV

This content was originally posted by-KebabMeinHaddi

Casting couch is all of these.

If it's without the person's consent, then it is rape or sexual harassment. 

If the person is consenting, then it's prostitution. 

My POV

Casting couch happens with consent but how much of it matters when it's a powerful person sitting on the other side? 

If someone wants to become  millionaire by sleeping around then that is their choice. But later  playing victim after years dont make sense to me. If u sold ur self respect to become crorepati , then later complaining  about it dont make sense to me. I dont have sympathy for such people