Fatima Sana Shaikh who rose to fame with hit film ‘Dangal’ has opened up on her horrifying sexual abuse experience.

In an interview with Indian Publication, Fatima Sana Shaikh said, "I was molested when I was just three years old. There is a stigma around the whole sexual abuse issue, which is why women even don't open up about being exploited in life. But I hope, today the world changes. There is more awareness and education about it. Pehle toh yehi kaha jaata tha that don't speak about it. People will think about it differently."

Fatima further added, "Of course, I have faced the casting couch. I have been in situations where I have been told that the only way I get the job is by having sex. There are several times people have taken away work from me. There have also been times where I knew I was doing a film and I was replaced because of someone's reference."

Fatima Sana Shaikh started her career as a child artist in 1997 - she played the role of Kamal Haasan's daughter in Chachi 420. She made her big Bollywood debut in a lead role with 2016 wrestling drama Dangal, co-starring with Aamir Khan and Sanya Malhotra. In 2018, Fatima was part of the epic drama Thugs Of Hindostan, in which she shared screen space with Aamir Khan yet again, and also Amitabh Bachchan.

Fatima Sana Shaikh will next be seen in Netflix movie Ludo, along with an ensemble cast, which releases on November 12. She also has Suraj Pe Mangal Bhari in her line-up.