MUMBAI : There is an unfair hierarchy in the entertainment industry where lead actors frequently receive less respect than star actors and are treated with kid-gloves. Actor Sunita Rajwar recently discussed how the television industry works and stated that character actors, or those who play smaller roles, are "treated like animals." She said that the quality of the treatment was so poor that it forced her to take a two-year hiatus from acting.

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In a conversation with Brut India from Cannes where Sunita is representing her film Santosh in the Un Certain Regard section, She revealed that actors are typically typecast in the industry because casting directors find it convenient to assign them to certain roles, and frequently, actors themselves agree with this practice since they must earn livelihood and cannot afford to be picky. “It is painful but it is a fact,” she said.

Sunita also spoke about the discrimination between lead actors and supporting actors on a set and said that while the lead actors are given all the perks, supporting artists are left to fight for scraps.

“Lead actors are given the call time as per their convenience,” she said and added that while she understands that lead actors have to shoot all 30 days of the month and sometimes work 24×7, the kind of discrimination that is done is “humiliating.”

“If you know you are not shooting with a particular artiste then call them later. What’s the need of making them sit? It’s like you are trying to shoot others down,” as she discussed unfair call times.

Additionally, she also talks about the situation on television, saying, “Lead actors are pampered. Their room will be neat, they will have a fridge and microwave. Whereas others like us, we will have a small dingy room. They will make 3-4 people sit. The roof is falling down. No clean bathroom. Your bedsheet will be dirty. Seeing all this, I always felt so bad.”

Following numerous such experiences, she decided to give up acting and even revoked her CINTAA card.

“When you do small roles you are not respected, you are not paid well, you are treated like animals, which is so heartbreaking,”

Sunita is well-known for her role in web series, including Panchayat and Gullak.

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Credit- The Indian Express