Asha Negi, the popular actress known for her role as Purvi Deshmukh in the hit TV show Pavitra Rishta, recently opened up about her casting couch experience during the promotions of her latest project, Honeymoon Photographer. The actress, who has been in the entertainment industry for over a decade, shared how she faced an unsettling situation early in her career.
Facing Casting Couch at Just 20 Years Old
During an interview, Asha recounted a troubling moment from her early days in the industry. At the age of 20, she encountered a coordinator who tried to convince her that compromising was the only way to move forward in showbiz. The actress revealed, “I was 20 when I met this coordinator. He tried hard to brainwash me, saying that this is how things work, and this is how all big TV actors make their way up.”
Though Asha didn’t directly accuse the coordinator of asking for inappropriate favors, she sensed his intentions were not right. Understanding where the conversation was heading, she decided to step back from the situation. She explained, “If things continued this way, I wasn’t interested in pursuing this career.”
Support From a Friend
Unsure and frightened after the incident, Asha reached out to a friend in the industry, only to discover that her friend had gone through a similar experience. Her friend, however, was not surprised and told her that such things were common in the industry. Despite the unsettling advice, Asha stuck to her principles and refused to compromise.
Asha Negi’s Successful Career
Asha’s decision to stay true to herself didn’t stop her from achieving success in the industry. She rose to fame with Pavitra Rishta and went on to work in popular web series like Baarish and reality shows such as Khatron Ke Khiladi 6. Her latest project, Honeymoon Photographer, released on Jio Cinema on September 27, 2024, sees her in the role of Ambika Nath, a photographer capturing honeymoon moments for newlyweds.