Faced casting couch down South, says Surveen

Casting couch is one topic that many celebrities shy away from talking about in public but actress Surveen Chawla admits that she witnessed such things in the Southern film industry but not in Bollywood.

"I feel very great that I have not encountered this (casting couch) here (Bollywood). I have faced this (casting couch) down South and of course I refused to give in to that...Honestly I can only comment on it if I had encountered it in Bollywood. I don't know if I should call it sheer luck," Surveen said.

The actress says she has never really been "desperate about work,” but has been "desiring about work.” "But (I am) not desperate to give in to anything to barter myself in exchange of work...I am too much in love with my dignity and self respect. Work will bring me work and that's my motto," she added.

Surveen says the casting couch in Bollywood existed decades ago. "In my experience I can only comment on what I have been through. I have not had one single influence of casting couch, which goes a lot to say about the progress that Bollywood has made...," she added.