In the shadowy underbelly of Bollywood’s glitz and glamour, stories of misconduct often emerge, casting a harsh light on the industry’s challenges. Actress Mouni Roy, celebrated for her roles in television hits like Naagin and the cinematic spectacle Brahmastra Part One: Shiva, recently opened up about a harrowing experience from her formative years that continues to haunt her.
Speaking candidly on Apoorva Mukhija’s podcast Spice It Up, Roy clarified that she has steered clear of the notorious casting couch pressures that plague aspiring talents. Yet, at just 21 or 22 years old, she encountered a different form of boundary violation during what should have been a routine script narration. “Casting couch toh nahi hua, but badtameezi hui hai,” she shared, translating to “Never faced casting couch but was misbehaved with.”
The incident unfolded in a professional office setting, surrounded by colleagues, as the narrator illustrated a dramatic sequence. The scene involved a female character who faints after falling into a swimming pool, only to be revived by the male lead through mouth-to-mouth resuscitation. In a shocking demonstration, the man grabbed Roy’s face and mimicked the act directly on her, blurring the line between performance and personal space. “The man literally held my face and showed me mouth to mouth respiration,” Roy recounted. “Uss 1 split second main mujhe samajh hi nahi aaya mere saath kya hua—I didn’t understand what happened with me in that split second. I started shaking and I ran down. It really scarred me for a real long time.”
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This abrupt intrusion left Roy trembling and fleeing the room, its emotional weight lingering far beyond that fleeting moment. Though she has since built a robust career, the episode underscores the vulnerabilities young artists face in pursuit of their dreams.
On the professional front, Roy is gearing up for her next venture: David Dhawan’s upcoming comedy Hai Jawani Toh Ishq Hona Hai, co-starring Pooja Hegde and Mrunal Thakur. The film is slated for a theatrical release in 2026, promising audiences a lighter escape amid the heavier truths of the trade.
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