Renowned Bollywood actress Renuka Shahane, famous for her performances in Hum Aapke Hain Koun! and the television series Circus, discussed her experiences of mistreatment in the industry. During an interview with Zoom, Renuka recounted an incident where a married producer suggested cohabiting in return for a campaign, even making the proposal in front of her mother, and she shared the consequences of such scenarios in the industry.
Renuka Shahane recalls a producer asking her to live with her
Renuka remembered, "A producer visited me many years ago at my home. He proposed that although he was married, I should become his brand ambassador for a saree campaign. He offered a monthly stipend and suggested that we live together."
He came to my house and offered me a proposal, stating that despite my marital status, he wanted me to be the face of his saree campaign. He promised a monthly stipend and suggested that we live together. My mother and I were shocked and kept exchanging glances.
Renuka disclosed that when she declined, the producer gave the campaign to another person, and she elaborated on the usual consequences of these scenarios. She explained, 'Either you are removed, or they band together to cause you further trouble. You don't receive your payment if you leave. It's an entire group that unites to further victimize the victim.'
You won't receive payment if you depart. It's an entire group that collaborates to further victimize the victim." She mentioned that although these incidents did not occur to her, there is always a potential for such conduct in the industry.
Regarding Renuka Shahane
Renuka initially gained widespread recognition through her role in the television series Circus and as a co-presenter of the well-known Doordarshan show Surabhi. She received additional praise for her performance in the hit movie Hum Aapke Hain Koun..! where she played the caring and dutiful elder sister, Pooja.
Throughout her career, she has been involved in numerous Hindi and Marathi movies. As a director, she received acclaim for her work on Tribhanga (2021), a family drama featuring Kajol, Tanvi Azmi, and Mithila Palkar. Her latest appearance was in the web series Dupahiya, which starred Gajraj Rao, Sparsh Shrivastava, Shivani Raghuvanshi, and Bhuvan Arora in prominent roles. The series was well-received by both viewers and critics and is available for streaming on Prime Video.
