Barkha Singh, known for her recent role in Criminal Justice Season 4, recalled a moment that left her shaken — an unexpected email offering her a part in a South film, but with a not-so-subtle hint that she'd need to 'compromise' to
In a candid interaction with Hauterrfly, Barkha shared that while she has never faced the casting couch scenario directly, she has tangible evidence of it occurring through electronic communication.
She recounted receiving an email that failed to mention the sender’s name, yet clearly outlined the number of shooting days required and included a disturbing condition — ‘compromise is required’.
Barkha expressed disbelief that such a proposal was made in writing, suggesting that the person behind it seemed unusually comfortable with making such a demand so explicitly.
She said that someone had written to her about a role in a South Indian project, listing details such as the required number of shoot days and specifying physical attributes like a minimum 36-inch measurement.
The message also included the phrase “compromise is required,” which she found appalling. She remarked that the fact it was all put down in writing indicated the sender had no qualms about such behaviour.
The actress noted that the incident occurred sometime in the last ten years. While she hasn’t been propositioned face-to-face, Barkha said she remains highly alert to the risks of such situations and makes conscious efforts to steer clear of them.
She explained that being aware of the darker side of the industry has made her particularly cautious, and that she deliberately avoids circumstances where she might be vulnerable to such exploitation.
Professionally, Barkha was recently seen portraying assistant lawyer Shivani Mathur in the latest season of Criminal Justice, alongside acclaimed actors like Pankaj Tripathi, Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub, Surveen Chawla, and Asha Negi. The show is currently streaming on JioCinema (formerly known as Disney+ Hotstar).
Barkha’s career began in childhood with roles in films like Mujhse Dosti Karoge! and Samay: When Time Strikes.
She later gained popularity through digital shows such as Engineering Girls and Please Find Attached, and also played a key role in the Madhuri Dixit-starrer Maja Ma.
Most recently, she was seen in The Sabarmati Report, headlined by Vikrant Massey.
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