At a time when Telugu actress Sri Reddy stirred up a hornet's nest after she decided to go topless, to protest against the existence of the casting couch in the film industry, Bollywood choreographer Saroj Khan has defended the tradition of casting couch in Bollywood.

Khan, who has made some of the big names dance to her tunes for many decades, said that sexual harassment is not just restricted to Bollywood, and blaming the film industry alone is unfair.

"This is going on from 'baba Adam's times', it is not new. Someone or the other always try to take an advantage of a girl. The government does it too, then why are we only behind the film industry? It provides livelihood at least. Does not rape and leave you. It is up to the girl, what she wants to do. If you don't want to fall into wrong hands, you won't. If you have art, why would you sell yourself? Don't take the film industry's name, it is everything to us," added the choreographer.



Casting couch is not new to Bollywood. Every now and then, B-Town actors and actresses have opened up about their experience with the casting couch, but have consciously refrained from taking any names.

But Khan added that it's not new in Bollywood, and it's up to the woman to decide if she wants to take the plunge or not.

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