Actress Daisy Shah talks ‘bad touch’ experience, says ‘never meet anyone alone’

Bollywood actress and dancer Daisy Shah has opened up about an unsettling experience from the early days of her career, recalling an uncomfortable casting meeting in Mumbai with a filmmaker from the South Indian film industry.

In an interview with The Free Press Journal, Daisy revealed that she was among 6–7 aspiring actresses who had gone to meet the filmmaker, who was conducting one-on-one auditions.

Recounting the incident, she said, "I was touched badly by one of the filmmakers in South. He had come to Mumbai for casting. We were 6-7 girls who went to meet him. He was meeting everyone of us individually. But I didn't like because he touched me and he was holding my hand."

The actress shared that physical contact has always made her uncomfortable, which made the experience even more distressing.

"The reason why I don't get massage done is because I don't like being touched, even by a woman...by a man is a different story altogether. So that just put me off."

Daisy chose not to pursue the opportunity further and walked away from the meeting.

Reflecting on the incident, she said it had a lasting impact on how she approaches professional interactions.

"The incident taught me that you are not supposed to meet anyone alone."

Her experience highlights the ongoing conversation around safety, consent, and awareness in the entertainment industry, especially for newcomers navigating auditions.

In the same interview, Daisy also addressed the long-standing perception that her career has been closely linked to Salman Khan, with whom she worked in films like Jai Ho and Race 3.

She acknowledged that support systems exist in the industry but noted that such assumptions often overshadow individual effort.

"People think that if a woman is doing something substantial in terms of work, there’s definitely someone who’s backing her, someone who’s helping her out."

She added, "There’s nothing wrong in it. Because today, if I am helping someone, it’s because someone had helped me. It’s a chain - you do good, you give out good, and then the chain continues."

Over time, the actress said she has made peace with these perceptions.