Sreejita De, a popular actress and Bigg Boss 16 contestant, has spoken openly about her horrifying casting couch experience.
In an exclusive interview with The Free Press Journal, Sreejita disclosed that the incident occurred during a meeting with a top director in Kolkata.
Sreejita recounted her terrible experience, saying, “I entered the entertainment industry when I was only 17. I am from a very small town called Haldia in West Bengal. My mother was always my support system, but despite her being beside me, I came across mean-minded and filthy people, maybe less than other actresses because my mom was always there with me.”
She further stated that people used to just call her for meetings, and they did not have any roles or projects to offer. “I met people who were extremely stupid, who had no projects to offer but just wanted meetings. They used to say, ‘I have a film for this big director, but there’s a casting couch involved in between’. Once or twice, it also happened to me. I met these kinds of people, but I did not hide anything from my mom. I never felt ashamed or embarrassed.”
Opening up about what happened when she once went for one such meeting with an ‘old’ director, Sreejita said, “When I was 19, I was offered a Bengali film, a remake of a Hindi film. I was called for a meeting. My mother was in Kolkata, and I went to the director’s office alone. I didn’t like the way he held my shoulder or the way he spoke to me. He was an old man. Even if you are very young, you know that this touch is not right. The way he was looking at me was very disgusting. I literally picked up my purse and ran out of the office.”
When asked about how she overcame this experience, she said, “These encounters affected me and made me feel very disgusted. I used to wonder how people could have such a mentality. But I never got carried away. I was strong enough, and I got to know that where there’s good work, people will never approach you in the wrong way. I always believe that there’s no casting couch where there’s real work.”
Sreejita is best known for her performances in popular television shows like Uttaran, Tum Hi Ho Bandhu Sakha Tumhi, Ladies Special, Laal Ishq, and Yehh Jadu Hai Jinn Ka!. She made her acting debut in 2007 with Kasautii Zindagii Kay. Aside from that, she is well-known in the television industry due to her participation in Bigg Boss 16.
Sreejita was engaged to her long-term partner Michael Blohm-Pape on December 21, 2021, and the couple married on July 1, 2023, at a church in Germany.
