Munjya star Abhay Verma on casting couch experience: The first meeting was a major setback

Abhay Verma, the breakout star of the horror comedy Munjya, recently opened up about a traumatic casting couch experience that led him to temporarily quit the film industry and return to his hometown.

The actor, who had a breakthrough earlier this year with the sleeper hit, revealed in an interview that his journey to success in Bollywood was far from smooth.

During an interview with India Today in June, Abhay shared how a disturbing encounter early in his career shook his confidence and forced him to step away from his dreams for a while. He recalled the excitement and passion he had as a young actor trying to make a name for himself.

However, his enthusiasm quickly turned to disappointment when he faced the harsh reality of the industry. "A boy coming with all his dreams, all his passion, his naiveness (naivety), I would like to say that. And imagine a person in the first meeting itself, you get the feeling that this person is not interested in your work but is interested in taking something out of you or is putting you in a compromising position."

This unsettling experience left the young actor feeling vulnerable and traumatized. He admitted that the casting couch incident had a profound impact on him, and he made the difficult decision to return to his hometown, Panipat, to regroup.

Abhay shared, "The first meeting was a major setback which made me go back to my hometown. The principles and rules that you have, the identity that you have, you shouldn't compromise any of those things for anyone, nobody in the world."

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Despite the setback, Abhay’s passion for acting ultimately brought him back to Mumbai. He began auditioning again, gradually landing small roles, including a part in the 2018 film Super 30. He went on to appear in supporting roles in films like Safed and in TV shows like Little Things and Marzi.

His big break came with a negative role in The Family Man, which garnered attention and paved the way for him to land lead roles in projects like Ae Watan Mere Watan and Munjya.

Abhay’s story is a testament to his resilience and determination to succeed in an industry known for its challenges.