Veteran television actress Narayani Shastri has made candid revelations regarding substance use within the entertainment industry, admitting to past personal drug experimentation while outlining a growing drug culture among peers. Speaking in an interview with host Siddharth Kannan on his YouTube channel, the Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi star discussed the prevalence of illicit substances at industry events and claimed that drug use occasionally impacts television production schedules.
Narayanie Shastri Accepts She Has Tried Drugs
During the conversation, Shastri openly addressed her past experiences with illegal substances, framing them as strictly one-time curiosity rather than habitual use. She noted that she chose to experiment briefly to understand the physical effects. “I have done everything in my life, but I have done it as an experiment, to see what happens when you do something,” Shastri said.
She clarified that she never developed a dependency, adding that she similarly consumed alcohol only once in her life so she would recognise the sensation if her drink were ever tampered with.
Narayanie Shastri Admits Experimenting With Cocaine and MDMA
Narayanie Shastri on Industry Party Culture and Substance Availability
Shastri highlighted a noticeable shift in how social gatherings in the television industry operate compared to earlier years. She claimed that access to substances has changed significantly over time. “Earlier, there would be a budget for alcohol at parties. Now there’s a budget for drugs. I was shocked when I saw this,” she stated, adding that this shift led her to stop attending industry events altogether. When asked which specific substances were present at these gatherings, Shastri named cocaine and MDMA. She noted that while drug consumption at larger industry events is kept relatively discreet, it is more open at smaller, intimate gatherings where “everyone knows that everyone does stuff”.
On-Set Disruptions and Impact on Television Productions
Beyond social settings, Shastri claimed that drug use has extended onto working sets, occasionally disrupting production schedules and causing significant delays. When asked if actors consume illegal substances during shoots, Shastri alleged that it happens “all the time”. She recalled specific incidents where production came to a halt due to an actor’s condition. “Our shoots have been cancelled because the actor is not in a condition to shoot,” Shastri recounted. “We would wait for four hours wondering what was even happening.
The actor would not be in a condition to even stand up”. She explained that producers are often placed in a difficult position in such scenarios, as replacing a lead actor risks damaging the show’s continuity and character identity, forcing crews to accommodate the delays.
Shastri is a well-known face in Indian television, having gained prominence through classic serials including Kkusum, Piya Ka Ghar, and Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi. Her comments add to a broader, recurring conversation about substance use, stress, and lifestyle dynamics within the Indian entertainment sector.