'Bed with acting package' in Malayalam cinema: Mollywood actress reveals being asked for sexual favours

Actress Hima Shankar Sheematty has stated that filmmakers have asked her for sexual favours, confirming that the casting couch exists in the Malayalam film industry.
 

Malayalam actress Hima Shankar Sheematty, is known for films such as Sarvopari Palakkaran, Himalayathile Kashmalan and Aaradi. Earlier in an interview, she revealed that she has been promised offers if she was willing to sleep with filmmakers or casting directors.
 

"When I was at the School of Drama in Thrissur, I got an offer in a film as a 'package'. I asked them to explain the package and they told me it's the 'bed with acting package'," reports quoted Hima as saying.
 

"I got three similar offers at the time and I tuned them all down. I didn't get any such "package offers" after that, may be cause they knew I am a rights activist," she added.
 

Hima also said that Mollywood has a patriarchal approach to issues and male chauvinism exists in the industry. "People ask women to speak up but when you do, you are ostracised," the actress pointed out.

Earlier, actress Parvathy Thiruvoth had also said that casting couch exists in Malayalam cinema.