The casting couch is alive and preying in Hollywood. The Harvey Weinstein sexual harassment case, which has seen some of the biggest names including Angelina Jolie, Gwyneth Paltrow, and Cara Delevingne speak about their harassment by the producer - Rose McGowan has even claimed that he raped her - Weinstein's ugly shadow now comes nearer home...
In a shocking statement, Simone Sheffield, the ex-manager of Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, has revealed that Harvey Weinstein was very taken up with Aishwarya and was desperate to meet the Bollywood star...alone.
Sheffield, told Variety.com, "I use to manage Indian actress Aishwarya Rai. While dealing with Harvey, I found it comical how hard he tried to get Aishwarya alone. But he was a pig, looked and acted like a big bully pig."
Narrating the incident which proved Weinstein's all too blatant attempts to snatch private moments with Ash, Sheffield recounts, "He asked me to leave the meeting numerous times and I politely declined.”
Sheffield shares that after Aishwarya and she returned to their hotel, she sent Harvey a steel pig trough filled with Diet Coke as a thank you gift for the meeting. It was a symbolic gift on many levels...
Maintains Sheffield, "Yes, we did do business and yes, he eventually threatened me. Told me I’d never work in this business, blah blah blah….what I said to him I can’t print. But you can be sure, I never gave him the opportunity to even breathe on my client."
There is no dearth of men like Harvey Weinstein around the world. Bollywood continues to be infamous for its underground casting couch and work deals struck over dubious private favours. A girl has to be sharp and strong to battle the wolves, always on the lookout for a fresh piece of meat.
It goes without saying that for an actress, no compromises often translates into no film offers. And that perhaps explains Ash's short-lived career in the West.
No statement has been forthcoming from the actress yet, who is currently holidaying with family in Maldives. Will she join the likes of Meryl Streep, Judi Dench and Kate Winslet in naming and shaming the sexual harasser? As Delevingn'e's message goes, 'Don't be ashamed of your story. It will empower others'.
