Mallika Sherawat, a popular Bollywood actress from the early 2000s, has opened up about a troubling experience during a recent interview. Known for her daring roles in films like Murder and Pyaar Ke Side Effects, Mallika shared how some people in the industry misunderstood her onscreen image. She revealed that her refusal to meet the inappropriate demands of some male actors led to her being pushed aside in the industry.
Now, making her return to the big screen with Rajkummar Rao and Triptii Dimri in the upcoming film Vicky Vidya Ka Who Vala Video, which releases on October 11, 2024, Mallika spoke about the difficulties she faced as a woman in Bollywood. She explained how some male actors assumed that her bold characters in movies reflected her real-life behaviour.
In a viral video clip on Reddit, Mallika shared, “Some heroes would call me and say, ‘Come and see me at night.’ I would ask them, ‘Why should I come to see you at night? For what?’ They would say, ‘If you can do bold scenes onscreen, why not meet me at night?’ These actors felt they had the right to make such requests, thinking that if I acted in bold scenes onscreen, I would also compromise offscreen. But I am not like that.”
Mallika also spoke about a scary incident while filming a multi-starrer movie in Dubai. She recalled how one of the actors from this movie knocked on her hotel room door late at night, trying to enter her room.
“I was shooting for a very big film in Dubai with a large star cast. The movie was a huge success, and everyone loved it. I played a comic role in the film. The hero would knock on my door at midnight, and I thought he was going to break the door down. He wanted to come into my room, but I said, ‘No, it’s not happening.’ After that, the actor never worked with me again,” Mallika shared.
Although Mallika Sherawat didn’t name the movie or the actor, many in the comment section believe she could be talking about the 2007 film Welcome, which was shot in Dubai and had a multi-starry cast including actors Katrina Kaif, Akshay Kumar, Nana Patekar, Anil Kapoor and more. However, she has not confirmed any names.
Even after facing these challenges, Mallika remains strong and focused on her career. Her decision not to give in to these demands may have limited her roles in the industry, but it also highlights the difficulties many actresses face in Bollywood.
