I got casting couch offers from females and males, reveals Irrfan Khan

The Harvey Weinstein casting couch controversy rocked Hollywood earlier this month. A number of top actresses came up and spoke about how the erstwhile movie mogul sexually exploited them in return for film roles. Now, Irrfan Khan has opened up on how even he received a number of casting couch offers. 

Talking about the scenario in India, Khan said, “Yes, it has happened with me quite a few times. There are a lot of such indications. At times you are also told clearly that if you compromise you will get this work. This has happened a lot with me. It doesn’t happen now.” 

Asked which sex propositioned him, he said, “Both. It is a weird situation. Sometimes those who you know well and respect a lot make such offers. You don’t feel bad for the offer. You feel bad thinking your relationship with that person will change.”

Khan believes that every person has the option of refusing such offers. “Receiving invitations is okay because you have a right to say no. The other person can propose that if you sleep with me, I will give you this work. You keep getting such indications whether you are a man or woman. Women get them more.”

But he believes exploitation should never be acceptable. “When a person is forced to go ahead with it against his or her wish, then it should be condemned as much as possible. If there is a person who repeatedly does it, he should be exposed and talked about,” he said. 

It was pointed out that actresses who are given such invitations are often powerless to reject these advances. “They definitely have no power, but they can refuse. But sexual exploitation is an illness. It is a reflection of society. It shows that your society is sexually suppressed,” Khan said. 

Recently, Priyanka Chopra had said that sexual exploitation is more about power than sex. Khan agreed. “The powerful gender will exploit the other gender. If women were more powerful in our society, they would have exploited the men. So, exploitation is not the key factor. It’s the suppression,” he said. 

The actor was speaking at the launch of the song ‘Jaane De’ from his upcoming film, Qarib Qarib Singlle.