Abhay 2 actor Asheema Vardaan: Just because my surname is not Bhatt or Kapoor, I have been replaced in films

It has been almost three months since Sushant Singh Rajput passed away but the debates around Bollywood, which was fuelled by his death refuse to die down. Many have called out the Hindi film industry for being a difficult environment for outsiders, and actor Asheema Vardaan endorses that view and shares how she, too, has faced it.

“It is very discouraging for newcomers in Bollywood, especially outsiders like me. Twice I was selected for a big film, big star cast and big director and big banner. I gave my audition, the look test happened and then everything was final but then they never called me back to sign the film. I came to know after two weeks via social media that I have been replaced and a star kid is getting launched as the female lead in the film,” says Vardaan, who has been part of OTT series such as Dev DD and Abhay 2.

The actor reveals she felt crestfallen after the incident and it took her time to get over the two incidents. It even made her doubt her talent at one point. 

“Just because my surname is not Bhatt or Kapoor, I have been replaced in films. That is why I didn’t get the parts even though I cleared the process,” she reveals.

But Vardaan chose to brush off the disappointment and decided to move on from that because she realised that’s how things function in the film industry. That is what advises others like her to do as well.

“Yes, this happened but that does not mean that I am a bad actor. I keep myself motivated. I tell this to all my friends that you have to keep myself motivated. There is no other way out, we know that fact that there is hierarchy and unke bacche aage jayenge hi jayenge. We can’t be their competition but we have to find our own place. Nepotism exists and you have to make peace with it,” she says.

The actor says thanks to OTT, she has I found her place. “I wanted to be a film actor but I don’t think I have opportunity for films. I don’t want to do films anymore. I am happy doing good work on OTT,” she concludes.