Swara recalls director knocking on her door, asking for a hug

Actor Swara Bhasker opened up about an unsettling experience she faced early in her career, shortly after the success of Tanu Weds Manu. Speaking on Rise & Fall Season 2, the actor recalled how a director allegedly made her uncomfortable by insisting on rehearsing a romantic scene alone with her. She also described an incident when the filmmaker later came to her room late at night asking for a hug.During a conversation with actor Priyanka Chahar Chaudhary and politician Tej Pratap Yadav, Swara said she was shooting her “big lead film” after Tanu Weds Manu when the director began sending her personal messages. According to her, he would tell her that a director should “love” their actor and would also send her poetry.The situation became more uncomfortable when they had to rehearse a romantic scene from the film.“I said, ‘Who all are there for the rehearsal?’ He said, ‘You and me, we'll discuss.’ I said, ‘No. You called the actor, you called the camera person. If it is a rehearsal, everyone should do it. Why should we do it alone?’” Swara recalled. She then described arriving at a guest house where she was staying and finding the director and cinematographer drinking together.“I went inside and the director and cinematographer had already finished half a bottle and both were sitting and drinking,” she said. Swara explained that she was a young woman in her early twenties at the time and questioned why she should be expected to rehearse or do a reading between two drunk men who had been drinking.Swara shared a disturbing experience from after Tanu Weds Manu, saying a director allegedly made her uncomfortable by insisting on rehearsing alone with her. Her story was genuinely unsettling to hear. #RiseAndFall pic.twitter.com/t6DFIUsoPo— (@Frozen_pratik) October 1, 2026“I mean, can you imagine why is a young woman, a girl who is in her early twenties, why should I rehearse between two drunk men? Or do a reading?” she said.Swara said she became frightened and left the place. “I finished everything and I left. I just ran from there somehow,” she recalled.The actor said the incident did not end there. According to her, the director came to her room later that night and started knocking on her door. She said she was afraid he might break it down.When she eventually opened the door, Swara said the filmmaker was visibly drunk and asked her, “Can I get a hug?”“I was like, ‘No. You cannot get a hug. Please, hug me? What happened? You just want to hug me? I said, ‘No, no, I can't do it. Sir, please go. I am scared,’” she recalled.During the conversation, Swara also spoke about the power imbalance involved, pointing out that the man was the director of her film.Her account prompted reactions from the other contestants, where both Tej Pratap Yadav and Priyanka Chahar Chaudhary wanted to hit the director. The conversation highlighted the vulnerability young actors can face while working in an industry where senior professionals hold significant power over them.- Ends