Suchitra Pillai’s contribution to the entertainment industry is noteworthy. Having been a part of various TV shows and films, Suchitra Pillai rose to popularity with her portrayal of Saif Ali Khan’s girlfriend in Dil Chahta Hai. Recently, she sat down for a heartfelt chat with YouTuber Siddharth Kannan. The actress opened up about her “casting couch” experience when she was asked to make a “compromise” in exchange for a role in a film.
Suchitra told Kannan that she was offered a big South Indian film starring a prominent actor. It was expected to be directed by a renowned filmmaker and the actress was asked to play the protagonist’s sister. Further narrating the distressing moment, she said, “He (the man who called her for the film) then said that a first-time producer is bankrolling the project. I thought he was asking discount on my fees but he said, ‘It’s a first-time producer so little compromise is needed.’ I said, ‘Sorry.’ He reiterated, ‘Madam, he is a first-time producer, little compromise is needed.”
Suchitra added that the man did not stop and continued to tell her that the “Director-actor thing is established but because the producer is new that’s why it’s only required one time.”
To shut him down, she angrily told him, “You got the wrong person and the wrong number.” While the actress admitted some people choose to comply with the requests of “compromising” for the sake of work, she emphasised that it could never be her choice.
She went on to add, “In the industry, there are often opportunities that come with strings attached. Casting couch experiences are not uncommon..”
Away from the spotlight, Suchitra leads a fulfilling personal life. She tied the knot with Lars Kjeldsen in 2005, and the couple welcomed their daughter, Annika, in 2008.
Talking about the professional front, Suchitra Pillai was last seen in Big Girls Don’t Cry. The series is available to watch on Prime Video.
