‘I was once asked to sleep with hero’: Kishwer Merchant on casting couch

NEW DELHI: Actress Kishwer Merchantt, in an exclusive interview with ETimes, revealed her casting couch ordeal and shared that she was told by a big filmmaker "to sleep with the hero." Kishwer Merchantt is expecting her first child with her husband and singer Suyyash Rai.

Speaking to ETimes, the actress recounted her casting couch experience and alleged that she was "told to sleep with the hero" by a renowned filmmaker but she "politely turned down the offer and left." She said: "It happened with me when I had gone for a meeting but just once. My mother was accompanying me. I was told that I'll have to sleep with the hero. I politely turned down the offer and we left. I wouldn't say ki ye bahut hota hai (I wouldn't say that it happens a lot) or it's a normal thing. Industry badnaam hai lekin har industry mein ye cheez hoti hai (The industry is infamous for this but this happens in every industry)." She added that the hero and the filmmaker were "very big names."

Kishwer Merchantt has worked in shows like Des Mein Niklla Hoga Chand, Kkavyanjali, Ek Hasina Thi and Kahaan Hum Kahaan Tum, to name a few.

The actress is having the best time of life currently - she is enjoying every moment of her pregnancy. See stunning pictures from her maternity diaries here:

Suyyash Rai and Kishwer Merchant began dating each other after meeting on the sets of 2010 show Pyaar Kii Ye Ek Kahaani. They had a lavish Punjabi wedding on December 16, 2016. The duo were also seen together as participants in the ninth season of the reality show Bigg Boss.

The couple will welcome their baby in August this year.