Lights, Camera, Reflection...

Harleen Sethi chats with Tanisha Bhattacharya about the quirks and perks of being an actor

The kind of recognition that Harleen Sethi received for her performance in Kohrra has been unbelievable. People from the industry, some of whom she didn't even know or hadn't worked with in years, have come forward to appreciate her. The realisation is still sinking in for Harleen, and the love she is receiving is both special and overpowering. "Every actor needs validation," she gushes. "And when a role comes along which offers you validation on such a large scale, it does seem a bit overwhelming," says she, gratitude written large in her eyes. Playing the rebellious daughter of an abusive father wouldn't have been easy, especially when her character is also a single mother going through a painful divorce. Harleen had no parallel to draw upon while essaying the role. She was also initially terrified about the physicality of it all, as her character suffers from brutal beatings as an adult. Thankfully, she worked in tandem with her on-screen father, Suvinder Vicky, to get the nuances right. She learnt to trust in her co-star and just went with the flow. "Suvinder and I delved into the world-building of Kohrra during our discussions. Suvinder, with his intense physicality, played a significant role in grounding me in the moment and connecting with my body rather than overthinking. Acting, after all, is as much about reacting. The scenes were filled with screams, shouts, tears, and physical confrontations, which allowed me to immerse myself fully and rely on instinct rather than intellect."