Was replaced by A-list actor in film without being informed: Harleen Sethi

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Actor Harleen Sethi says she was once replaced by an A-list star after being locked for a film without being informed but being in the industry for a while has made her resilient. Sethi, best known for starring in ALTBalaji''s "Broken But Beautiful", said she was finalised for the project before the lockdown last year, but the casting changed later.

"Without even being informed I was replaced by another A-list actor, opposite an A-list actor. Sometimes you keep waiting for a project but it keeps getting pushed... It''d be a lie to say I didn''t feel bad at all," Sethi told PTI.

The actor said she wished the situation was handled in a better manner even if the production house decided to go ahead with another actor.

"Being around for a while makes you resilient. You know these things happen. I wished it didn''t happen and it was dealt better. At least someone from the production house could have reached out... You just feel more respected and valued. You do question yourself, if it was something which you did wrong. That phase definitely comes," she added.

Sethi has appeared in shorts such as "Love, Bites", "Nice to Meet You" and is also known for her dance videos on Instagram with choreographer Melvin Louis.

She will be next see in the second season of murder-mystery series "The Gone Game".

Created by Nikhil Bhat, the first season of the Voot Select series was shot entirely from home during the coronavirus-induced lockdown last year. It premiered in August 2020.

On season two, the actor will essay the role of CBI officer Sharmila Sangma.

Though she had decided not to play a character where she has to wear a uniform to keep her character of a Para Commando exclusive for her forthcoming "Test Case", Sethi said she couldn''t say no to the show.

She said she was drawn to the show''s writing and auditioned for the series—through a self test from her house.

"Season one was critically acclaimed, it was quite courageous of them to do it in the lockdown. It didn''t look like a show which obviously would''ve been a challenge to pull off. It wasn''t shabby at all, it was so beautifully performed. There was no reason not to be associated with it," she said.

The primary cast of actors Sanjay Kapoor, Arjun Mathur, Shriya Pilgaonkar, Shweta Tripathi Sharma, Rukhsar Rehman, Lubna Salim and Dibyendu Bhattacharya are set to return for part two.

Sethi said "The Gone Game" gave her the opportunity to play a character with wide-ranging emotions and a completely different arc from that of her last show, "Broken But Beautiful''.

"My character is that of an extremely ambitious, focused person who wants to get her job done well within the boundaries of the law. You also get to see her vulnerabilities, explore her emotional side. The audition scene itself was so wonderfully written, I knew it would be fun to play this part.

"My last project was ''Broken But Beautiful'', where I was quite broken and vulnerable so I thought it''d be fun to be on the completely other side of the spectrum with this character," she added.

Backed by Bodhitree Multimedia Ltd, "The Gone Game" season two will go on floors soon and is scheduled to release this year.