Bollywood Actor Surveen Chawla Accuses National Award-Winning Director Of Casting Couch And Sexual Harassment (Image: Instagram/Surveen Chawla)
Bollywood actress Surveen Chawla, best known for her roles in Sacred Games, The Couple, and Rana Naidu, has opened up about her troubling experiences with the casting couch and sexual harassment.
During an interview for the promotion of Rana Naidu Season 2, Surveen shared her harrowing encounter with a National Award-winning Tamil director, who allegedly asked for her commitment in exchange for a role in his film.
Surveen recalled that when she went to Chennai for an audition, the director, rather than asking her directly, sent an intermediary to inquire, “How much commitment will you give?”
The actress, shocked and taken aback, refused to engage in any such behavior. However, despite the grave nature of the accusation, she chose not to reveal the identity of the director, keeping his name undisclosed.
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This revelation has reignited the debate about the prevalence of casting couches in the film industry, a topic that has long been whispered about but rarely discussed openly.
Surveen’s decision to speak out has prompted several questions regarding the reasons behind not naming the alleged perpetrators.
Social media users have questioned why those who suffer such abuse don’t speak out with full transparency to prevent ambiguity and avoid any confusion.
I appreciate her coming out but two problems here –
First – Too many hinting bombs rather than being direct in naming and shaming.
I mean Vetrimaaran and Dhanush come to my mind in this combo. So it’s not like she is doing any better by being not using names
Second – A bit…
— Manohar Kanapaka (@mkanapaka) May 31, 2025
I don’t understand one thing around the film industry.. why these people won’t complain when the issue actually happened ? All of a sudden some other day they come out and speak.. is it to get the attention or they want to hold and share the issue some other day ? 🤔
— DesiChichhore 👻 🇮🇳🚩 (@DesiChichhore) May 31, 2025
She also recounted a disturbing encounter in Mumbai while shooting for a Hindi film. After a meeting with the director, Surveen was allegedly confronted with inappropriate behavior when the director leaned in and attempted to kiss her as she was leaving the office.
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She made it clear that she was already married and found the experience deeply upsetting but said she immediately pushed him away and left.
The actress shared how, despite the emotional scars, she never allowed such incidents to define her career. She also touched on the wider issue of body shaming in the industry, saying that women are often criticized for their weight, waist size, and even their chest size.
This constant scrutiny, she noted, is designed to make women feel insecure, and it’s an unfortunate reality that many face in the film world.
Surveen Chawla (born 1 August 1984) is an Indian actress and dancer known for her work in Hindi, Punjabi, and Tamil films, as well as television.
She is one of the highest-paid Punjabi actresses. Surveen began her career with popular television shows like Kahin To Hoga and Kaajjal, and later ventured into films.
She gained recognition for her roles in Hate Story 2 (2014), Ugly (2013), Parched (2015), and the web series Rana Naidu (2023). Chawla’s film debut was with the Kannada movie Paramesha Panwala (2008), and she continued to build a successful career in both the Punjabi and Hindi film industries, appearing in several notable films such as Himmatwala (2013), Singh vs Kaur (2013), Creature 3D (2014), and Parched (2015).
She also participated in the reality dance show Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa (2016). In 2018, she made her digital debut with ALT Balaji’s web series Haq Se, where she played the role of Mehr Mirza.
Beyond her acting career, Surveen made headlines for her personal life, marrying Akshay Thakker in 2015 and revealing the news two years later via X. Over the years, she has received multiple accolades, including the PTC Punjabi Film Award for Best Debut Female in 2011 and Best Actress at the Disco Singh premiere in 2015.
