Actress Upasana Singh, best known for her projects like Judwaa, Main Prem Ki Diwani Hoon, and Comedy Nights with Kapil, recently shared her unsettling casting couch experience. She recalled how a South film director, who was her father’s age, invited her to a hotel in Juhu, Mumbai, under the pretense of a meeting, which turned out to be an uncomfortable situation. The 49-year-old actress also revealed that post the incident, she locked herself in a room for seven days and stated that those challenging days helped her become a stronger woman.
During an interview with Siddharth Kanan, Upasana said, “A big South film director had signed me for a film opposite Anil Kapoor. I used to take my mother or sister whenever I visited the director’s office. One day, he asked me why I always bring them with me. He called me at 11:30 at night and asked me to come to a hotel for a ‘sitting’. I insisted that I will listen to the story the next day since I didn’t have a car to reach there. But then he asked, ‘Nahi, tum sitting ka matlab nahi samjhi?'”
Upasana said that after her conversation with the director, she was unable to sleep the entire night.
“Phir mera sardaarni vala dimaag satka. His office was in Bandra and the next morning, I went there. He was having a meeting with three to four people. His secretary asked me to wait outside but I didn’t. I barged in and abused him in front of those people in Punjabi for nearly five minutes continuously. But when I left his office, I remembered that I had informed a lot of people that I had signed the film with Anil. I couldn’t stop crying while walking on the footpath,” Upasana recalled.
Opening up about how she handled the situation, the veteran actress shared, “I didn’t leave my room for seven days. I would cry nonstop, wondering what I would tell people. But those seven days made me stronger. I was like ‘teri aisi ki taisi’. My mother worked hard to support me. I thought about her and decided I will not leave the film industry.”
Upasana’s career spans both film and television. She gained widespread recognition for her role in the hit Bollywood comedy Judwaa (1997) alongside Salman Khan, followed by her performances in other films like Main Prem Ki Diwani Hoon (2003) and Krazzy 4 (2008). On television, she became a household name with her comedic portrayal in Comedy Nights with Kapil, where her fun-filled antics was loved by the audiences.
Known for her versatile talent, Upasana has also appeared in Punjabi films.
