‘You have to sleep with director’: Sai Tamhankar exposes casting couch experience

In a private interview, Sai Tamhankar bravely opened up about a troubling phone call she received early in her career. A random caller offered her a film role with a disturbing condition saying, “You’ll have to sleep with the director and the producer. Generally, you have to sleep with the hero as well but since it is you, I am saying producer and director,” he said.

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Sai's sharp reply, “Why don’t you send your mom?” left the caller silent for ten seconds. She followed up by asserting that he should never contact her again.

Sai emphasized the importance of speaking out against such unethical demands, stating, “You should voice out everything you feel that is not right.”

Renowned for her  performances in Marathi movies and television serials like “Tuzyavina,” Sai has also earned acclaim for her roles in films such as “Mimi,” “Pondicherry,” and “City of Gold – Mumbai 1982: Ek Ankahee Kahani.”

 Recently, she portrayed SSP Jasmeet Kaur in the film “Bhakshak,” alongside Bhumi Pednekar, Sanjay Mishra, and Aditya Srivastav, directed by Pulkit. The film, based on real events like the Muzaffarpur shelter case, has been lauded for its impactful storytelling and performances.

Sai Tamhankar’s candidness highlights the prevalent issue of the casting couch in the industry, as have few other actresses. This reinforces the message that true talent should always be the primary focus.