Bollywood is a tough place to survive for outsiders, especially women. In a chat with Zoom, actress Renuka Shahane, known for films such as Hum Aapke Hai Kaun and iconic TV shows such as Cirkus and Kora Kagaz opened up on some harrowing experiences she faced as a newcomer and also recounted how actress Raveena Tandon often changed hotel rooms to avoid getting harassed, despite being a successful actress and hailing from a film family.
Despite her fame and privileged background, Raveena had to frequently switch hotel rooms during outdoor shoots to stay safe from persistent intrusions. Actresses, Renuka explained, often lived in constant anxiety as men from the industry—including actors and producers—would knock on their doors late at night, violating boundaries despite every precaution taken.
“Raveena was a big heroine and she came from the industry, but she had told me that during outdoor shoots, we would change rooms every day so that nobody should know which room we are staying..." she reminisced.
Sharing a disturbing personal encounter, Renuka recalled an incident with a producer who approached her with an indecent offer. The man, though married, came to her home and attempted to lure her with false promises of a modeling opportunity as a saree brand ambassador, coupled with a monthly allowance, under the condition that she live with him. Renuka and her mother were horrified by his audacity and immediately rejected the proposition.
She added that while she was fortunate to walk away without repercussions, many others are not as lucky. In an industry where power often overshadows ethics, women who refuse inappropriate advances risk facing retaliation — from losing projects to being deliberately sidelined by influential figures. Renuka emphasized that such incidents reflect the darker, rarely discussed side of show business that still persists today.
Professionally, the actress was last seen in the Marathi film Dev Manus and is now preparing for her upcoming release, Uttar.
Despite her fame and privileged background, Raveena had to frequently switch hotel rooms during outdoor shoots to stay safe from persistent intrusions. Actresses, Renuka explained, often lived in constant anxiety as men from the industry—including actors and producers—would knock on their doors late at night, violating boundaries despite every precaution taken.
“Raveena was a big heroine and she came from the industry, but she had told me that during outdoor shoots, we would change rooms every day so that nobody should know which room we are staying..." she reminisced.
Sharing a disturbing personal encounter, Renuka recalled an incident with a producer who approached her with an indecent offer. The man, though married, came to her home and attempted to lure her with false promises of a modeling opportunity as a saree brand ambassador, coupled with a monthly allowance, under the condition that she live with him. Renuka and her mother were horrified by his audacity and immediately rejected the proposition.
She added that while she was fortunate to walk away without repercussions, many others are not as lucky. In an industry where power often overshadows ethics, women who refuse inappropriate advances risk facing retaliation — from losing projects to being deliberately sidelined by influential figures. Renuka emphasized that such incidents reflect the darker, rarely discussed side of show business that still persists today.
Professionally, the actress was last seen in the Marathi film Dev Manus and is now preparing for her upcoming release, Uttar.
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