Kishwer Merchant Reveals A Producer Asked Her To Sleep With The Hero; Says Actor & Producer Were Big Names

Kishwer Merchant, who was last seen in Kahaan Hum Kahaan Tum, has been in the industry since a very long time. Although she has done several TV shows, there are only a couple of movies (Bheja Fry 2 and Hum Tim aur Shabana) in her filmography. In an interview with ETimes TV, the actress revealed why she didn't do more films. She also shared an unpleasant experience of casting couch which made her walk away from a film she was supposed to do with a big star and big producer.

About why she hasn't done more films, she said that she stuck more to TV because she thinks that TV gives more recognition. She also added that small roles in films serve no purpose.

When asked if she tried hard to become Bollywood heroin in her early days, she said, "Not really. I did go for meetings but somehow I knew that I didn't have a Bollywood face and wasn't good at dancing. Plus, I wasn't comfortable wearing a bikini. After marriage, thoda freedom mila hai toh faida uthaya jaata hai. But I think TV was clean work."

When asked if she faced the problem of casting couch, she said that a producer asked her to sleep with the actor and both- the producer and the actor were very big names.

Talking about the unpleasant incident, 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 or it's a normal thing. Industry badnaam hai lekin har industry mein ye cheez hoti hai."

When asked if they were very big names, she replied, "Yes, very big names."

Also, many television celebrities have mentioned that filmmakers are not open to cast them. Regarding the same, she said that it happens. She further said that the filmmakers feel that they are in the face of viewers every day, and added that things are changing with with the inroads that streaming platforms have made.