Actress accuses director, financier of casting couch

The Versova police have booked a director and a financier of a film production house for the alleged sexual harassment of a 31-year-old actress.
Sapna alias Zarina Sheikh, in her complaint, claimed that director Ritesh Thakur called her up on October 7, a day after he signed her up for a movie, to say that the financier, Shiv Pratap Singh, wanted to meet her and hold discussions. The actress asked them to drop in at her flat in Versova for a talk.
When she offered them tea on their arrival, Singh allegedly passed a vulgar comment asked her to respond favourably to his sexual overtures. He even touched her inappropriately, the complaint said.
When she started yelling at Singh, Thakur, who was a witness to the alleged molestation, tried to convince her to give in to the financier's demand, saying it would take her career to new heights.
When Sapna threatened to call the police, the two men snatched her mobile phone. They reportedly tried to talk her against it, claiming that the casting couch phenomenon is a norm in the film industry.
"When I tried to make a call to the police control room from another phone, the accused, sensing trouble, fled away," the actress said.
Singh later called her up on her phone and threatened her, she alleged.
Sapna approached the Versova police on Friday on her fiancé and parents' insistence.
The police said Singh and Thakur were untraceable. "Further investigation is on in the case," said senior Inspector Sharad Borse of the Versova police station.
Sapna said she had earlier worked with the same director on a Bhojpuri music album.
The actress claims to have been associated with the film industry for the last 15 years, and to have worked in several Bhojpuri albums and B-grade movies like Munnibai, Sholabai, Free Entry, Angoor and Garam, and in a few projects involving well-known actors Mithun Chakraborty and Dharmendra.