Pursuing a career in the show business is never easy, especially for those who hail from outside Mumbai. Let alone the auditions and competition for opportunities, find decent accommodation is itself a herculean task. Actress Shagun Sharma, who is known for essaying the role of Sonu in the show Ishq Par Zor Nahi, talks about it in an interview with BT, she says, “I have been living in Mumbai for almost seven years now, but finding flats has always been an ordeal because of my entertainment industry background. Most of the housing societies follow this rule of not renting out flats to single people, particularly those who want to live alone. And since I work in the entertainment industry, it only aggravates the problem. I was shooting outdoors and after coming back to Mumbai, I was in search of a flat. Almost 2-3 deals were finalized but in the end, it was called off. I really don’t understand why these housing societies do not allow single people just because it is assumed that they will cause nuisance and chaos.”
She adds, “I think one of the main reasons behind this is that the youth these days believe in social networking with friends/colleagues from the opposite gender, and they often have house parties. Our society still frowns upon the concept of male-female friendships. The plight of a single person wanting to rent a flat in a metropolitan city like Mumbai is not a piece of cake. I have faced this discrimination on several occasions while hunting for a flat.” Talking about the popular perception of actors, she says, “People from the entertainment industry are always believed to be undisciplined. Such perceptions and opinions of people these days have been a matter of concern for people in showbiz. The housing society members think that the popularity and contacts of the actors can invade their privacy and be a threat to the society.”
The actress wants the authorities to make rules, “I request the government to make a rule where the housing societies and flat owners can’t deny renting flats to single people just because of their entertainment industry background. We are educated people and we know the difference between right and wrong. As a society, the least we can do is to be liberal in our thoughts and everything will be fine” she shares.