Swara Bhasker has opened up about an alleged sexual harassment incident during a film shoot in 2011, recalling how she struggled to recognise what was happening while trying to establish herself in the industry. The actor was in her early twenties, had no personal team to turn to and didn't want to walk away from a film that could help her career.

It was only years later, after the MeToo movement, that she understood the experience for what it was.In a conversation with The Free Press Journal, Swara recalled an outdoor shoot in Pachmarhi, Madhya Pradesh, where a film director allegedly harassed her. She said she didn't initially identify his behaviour as sexual harassment because there had been no physical contact."I didn't even know, I didn't identify it as sexual harassment at the workplace while it was happening because the man had made no physical contact with me," she said.Why didn't Swara want to walk away from the filmAt the time, Swara had recently appeared in Tanu Weds Manu and was still finding her feet in the film industry.

She didn't have a personal team, industry connections or people she could easily reach out to for help. That left her feeling particularly vulnerable when the alleged harassment began. "I was vulnerable in a very different way.

I didn't have a personal team, I didn't have people that I could reach out to," she recalled.It was only much later, when the MeToo movement brought women's experiences of workplace harassment into public conversation, that she began to look back at the incident differently. Reading other women's accounts helped her recognise that what she had experienced was also harassment. "I was like, oh my God, this is harassment.

It's like a textbook case of harassment," she said.There was also the question of her career. Swara said the film had a 56-day shooting schedule, and the alleged harassment started within the first few days.

Walking away wasn't something she wanted to consider, especially when she was still trying to make a name for herself as an actor.She spoke about how difficult it can be for women to choose between protecting themselves and holding on to professional opportunities. Wanting to continue working, she pointed out, doesn't make someone's experience any less valid."I don't want to leave the project.

I don't want to lose work. I mean, I also have my own ambitions, right?

Which is fair. Like why shouldn't I?" she said.Swara credits executive producer for standing by herEventually, Swara decided to tell the film's executive producer about the situation.

She credited him with stepping in, standing by her and making the rest of the shoot easier to navigate. Their professional relationship also grew into a friendship, and he eventually became her manager. "He actually became my friend.

He protected me. At that time, and today he's my manager," she said.Looking back, the actor wants young women entering the workforce to recognise their boundaries and know that they don't have to deal with uncomfortable situations on their own.

She encouraged them to reach out to people they trust, seek support and call out inappropriate behaviour rather than waiting for things to escalate."Speak to people, seek help, seek support and call things out immediately because now we can actually do it," she said.Swara married politician Fahad Ahmad under the Special Marriage Act on January 6, 2023. The couple announced their marriage publicly on February 16 that year and welcomed their daughter, Raabiyaa, in September 2023.

The actor also participated in the second season of Rise & Fall 2.- Ends