Anu Aggarwal Defends Casting Couch, Says One Must Use Their 'Potential': 'Kya Bura Hai?'
Anu Aggarwal, known for Aashiqui, opened up on casting couch in Bollywood.
Anu Aggarwal, known for her breakout role in the cult classic Aashiqui, has offered a candid take on the issue of casting couch in Bollywood. In an exclusive conversation with Pinkvilla, the actress, who was a popular name in the 90s, didn't hold back while addressing the subject.
While the casting couch remains a highly debated topic within the Hindi film industry — often either denied or reluctantly acknowledged — Anu questioned the general silence around it. 'Why are we pretending?" she asked.
The actress reflected on her own experience in the industry, recalling that she maintained close yet professional relationships with all her directors, including Mahesh Bhatt. She clarified, 'There was no 'hanky-panky'," and confirmed she was never subjected to any casting couch situation.
However, she didn't shy away from acknowledging the broader scope of the issue either. 'Kahan nahi hai casting couch?" she asked, adding that similar dynamics exist in other professional spaces like banks and corporate offices. She continued, 'Kya baat kar rahe ho aap? Why are we pretending? Everywhere there's casting couch. Since life has started, there's man and woman, and there are two energies, male and female, their union is something that everybody wants. That's what's entire history of Earth."
The actress further challenged the moral panic surrounding the issue. 'So, what is 'Yeh bura hai' kya bura hai? So, at the end of the day, if you didn't make it, kya bura hai- when you don't use your potential, that is bura. What's the big deal being made about casting couch?"
In the same interview, Anu also shared her thoughts on Aashiqui 2, which starred Shraddha Kapoor and Aditya Roy Kapur. She admitted to having watched the film, commenting, 'Nice, nice, matlab you know I didn't want to like to judge it."
Released in 1990, Aashiqui became a massive hit and is remembered as one of Bollywood's most iconic romantic musicals. Directed by Mahesh Bhatt and produced by T-Series' Gulshan Kumar along with Vishesh Films, the film starred newcomers Anu Aggarwal and Rahul Roy. While the story was simple, it struck a chord with audiences, largely thanks to its chart-topping soundtrack composed by Nadeem-Shravan. Songs like 'Dheere Dheere Se" and 'Nazar Ke Saamne" turned into instant classics and remain popular to this day.
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