‘Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah’ is a popular television show and all its cast members enjoy massive popularity. So, when former ‘Spilitsvilla 12’ contestant Aradhana Sharma joined ‘TMKOC’, she received equal love and fame.
In a short span of time, Aradhana who essays the role of Deepti, the detective, has gained huge popularity. However, fame hasn’t come easy to her. Aradhna has had to face prejudice and the casting couch before she could get her big break.
In a recent interview, Aradhna opened up about the difficulties and criticisms that came in her way in her pursuit of a career in acting. Not only this, she even spoke about a horrific casting couch incident.
Speaking to TOI, Aradhana said that one of the casting agents made inappropriate advances on her that scarred her for life so much so that she started having trust issues that made her uncomfortable even with her father.
Recalling the horrific incident, Aradhna said, “An incident did happen to me and I can never forget it in my entire life. It happened four-five years back. I was studying in Pune then. It happened in my home town Ranchi. There was a person, who was doing casting in Mumbai. I was doing modelling assignments in Pune and hence was a bit known. I went to Ranchi as he said he is casting for some role. We were doing script reading in a room and he was trying to touch me. I couldn’t figure out what was happening. I just remember pushing him, opening the door and running away. I couldn’t share this to anyone for a few days. It was a love scene reading script. It was very bad.”
She further said, “I was 19/20 years old then. I couldn’t let anyone touch me. I used to feel so bad. It was a very bad experience for me. My mother and I wanted to confront him but then our family members stopped.”
Sharing how she has been previously judged on her looks, Adharna said, “We send our portfolios to various casting agencies and one of them was looking for a ‘pretty, beautiful lead’ role. So I told the casting agent to forward my portfolio and he said, ‘I have written here pretty but you are not pretty’. These were his words. He told me I don’t fit in ‘pretty and beautiful’ and will give roles which will fit me.”
Ardhana also revealed that she has been addressed as ‘she-male’ because of her body. “I am really into fitness and had learnt martial arts too. So people would say I look ‘mardaana’. I also get body-shamed a lot.”
For the unversed, before being roped in for ‘Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chasmah’, Aradhana Sharma was seen in Sony SAB’s Aladdin- Naam Toh Suna Hi Hoga, essaying the character of Sultana Tammana.
