Dhanjani said the incident occurred soon after he moved to Mumbai and was regularly visiting Aramnagar for auditions. According to him, a casting director approached him one afternoon while he was standing in a long audition line and informed him that he had been shortlisted for a role. “I was thrilled. It felt like someone had finally noticed me,” he said.
The actor recalled being asked to accompany the casting director to his “office” to finalize paperwork. Dhanjani agreed, believing it to be a professional meeting. However, upon arriving at the location, he realised something was amiss. Instead of an office, he found a dimly lit space behind a locked orange gate near a grocery shop and bun-maska stall. “The moment I stepped inside, I knew something was wrong,” he said.
Inside, the casting director allegedly tried to convince him that success in the industry required “smart work, not hard work,” before touching him inappropriately. “I froze. I was terrified. I was just 20 and trembling,” Dhanjani said, adding that he managed to escape before the situation escalated further.
The actor, best known for his breakout role in Pavitra Rishta (2011), has since worked across television, web series, reality shows, and films. His recent series Half Love Half Arranged was released this year.
Dhanjani’s account adds to the ongoing conversation about safety and accountability for young artists entering the entertainment industry.
