Mumbai, October 1, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
Actress Swara Bhasker has recalled an uncomfortable experience with a film director early in her career, alleging that he repeatedly crossed professional boundaries and pressured her into private interactions under the pretext of rehearsals and script readings.
Speaking on Rise & Fall Season 2, Swara said the incident took place shortly after the success of Tanu Weds Manu, when she was working on a major lead role in a film with a 56-day shooting schedule.
Recalling the director’s behaviour, she said he began making comments about how a director should fall in love with his actress, leaving her uncomfortable. The situation, she alleged, escalated when he suggested that they rehearse a romantic sequence from the film alone.
Swara said she questioned why the rehearsal could not include the co-actor and the cinematographer, insisting that everyone involved in the scene should be present.
She also recalled an incident at a guest house where she was allegedly expected to rehearse or participate in a reading while the director and cinematographer were drinking. Swara questioned why a woman in her early 20s should have been placed in such a situation.
The actress further alleged that the director came to her room late at night and knocked on her door. When she opened it, he reportedly asked if he could hug her. Swara said she refused, making it clear that she was not comfortable with the request.
Fellow contestant Tej Pratap Yadav reacted to her account, suggesting that she could have confronted the director physically. Swara responded that she feared losing the film if she acted against him, as he was in charge of the project.
During the conversation, contestant Priyanka Chahar Choudhary pointed out that Tej was now present to support her, prompting Swara to say she would call him directly.
Swara’s account highlighted the professional and personal pressures she said she faced as a young actress navigating the film industry.
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