Ranveer Singh, Ayushmann Khurrana faced casting couch; many fear working with gay directors, says journalist

Ayushmann-Ranveer are scared of gay directors. (Photo: Ayushmann Khurrana/Ranveer Singh/Instagram)

When we talk about Bollywood, the conversation is often dominated by gossip—who’s dating whom, who’s engaged, who’s vacationing together. Audiences are endlessly curious about a star’s relationship status, bank balance, fees, and even their sexuality. Over the years, there have also been rumours about certain male actors being in relationships with male directors. However, none of those involved ever chose to clarify or address them, leaving such rumours without any real substance.

Now, senior journalist Simi Chandoke has shed light on some uncomfortable realities of the film industry. Speaking on the podcast Verinteresting, Simi shared that even if there are bisexual actors in Bollywood, most are afraid to come out openly.

Explaining one of the reasons, she said, “Suppose a Bollywood hero openly admits that he is gay or bisexual. When he appears on screen romancing a heroine, will audiences accept him the same way?”

She further added, “There are several directors—I won’t name them—but there is one particular director who has worked with actors like Salman Khan, Ranveer Singh, Hrithik Roshan, Shahid Kapoor, and others. Everyone knows he is gay. He has never been in a long-term relationship with a woman, except one very brief relationship that ended abruptly.”

Simi went on to claim that homophobia among actors also plays a role. “If a director openly comes out about his sexuality, many leading actors would hesitate to work with him. They fear the casting couch,” she said.

She added that such fears are rooted in reality, as several actors have spoken about their experiences over the years.

“Many actors have admitted that they were asked to compromise during their struggling days. Ayushmann Khurrana and Ranveer Singh have openly spoken about being subjected to such situations,” she shared.

Simi also recalled the time when rumours circulated about Shah Rukh Khan’s closeness with Karan Johar. “Once, Shah Rukh Khan was questioned about his closeness with Karan Johar. Being his witty self, he replied, ‘I am try-sexual.’ The statement was so strong and clever that it immediately shut down speculation,” she said.

In an interview with The Times of India, Shah Rukh Khan had earlier dismissed rumours about his sexuality with humour. He said, “I don’t do men, I don’t do women. I am happily in love with my wife. I like that line from Sex and the City—I am try-sexual. I try anything that’s sexual. Okay, I am try-sexual. No, hey, cut that out,” he laughed, leaving everyone amused.

Meanwhile, about a decade ago, Ranveer Singh spoke to NDTV about his casting couch experience. He recalled, “There was this very sleazy gentleman from the Northern Suburbs, somewhere in Andheri. He called me over around 8 PM. I had prepared an impressive portfolio because, as an assistant director, I knew most portfolios end up in cartons. But he wasn’t interested in seeing it. Instead, he said, ‘You need to be smart and sexy; that’s how people get ahead. I will meet you in multiple offices—you will see me everywhere. Take, touch.’ I was shocked. He even tried to negotiate, saying, ‘I won’t do anything, just let me touch.’ I said no and ran away. Later, when I spoke to other struggling actors, they told me he does this to everyone.”

Ayushmann Khurrana also shared his experience with Pinkvilla, saying, “A casting director once told me, ‘I’ll give you the lead role if you show me your tool.’ I told him I’m straight and politely refused.”