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Radhika Seth’s journey from being an internet sensation to making a debut in OTT is inspiring! The one-project-old actress revealed that shooting for her OTT show ‘Call My Agent: Bollywood’ was an overwhelming experience as people, including her close friends Alaya F and Anjini Dhawan had nice things to say about her dream debut. In an exclusive conversation with ETimes, the budding actress opened up about what it took for her to reach here and where she wants to go from here. Excerpts:

Is this the dream debut you always wanted?

For a long time, I wanted a debut where I would walk in slow motion with the wind in my hair, but that didn’t happen. Given the pandemic and shutting of cinemas, this is everything one could hope for. It’s interesting; I played the role of a young girl who had just moved into the city.

What were the struggles you faced before landing your first Bollywood project?


I moved to Mumbai six years ago. There was a time when I was auditioning every single day, even on Saturday and Sunday. I was going door to door, auditioning to find something. For some, I was too young, for others, I was too old or even too skinny. There was so much that went on! Then there was a period when I decided to just train myself. I wanted to be good at my job and be fully prepared before I went out there. That’s what I did, and later, when I started auditioning, my debut project happened.

These experiences must have left you heartbroken…


It’s very difficult to hear so many ‘no’. It’s an industry where either you get the project or don’t, there’s nothing in the middle. It’s very heartbreaking to have all your eggs in one basket and then constantly be told you are not good enough for what they are looking for. I think the key is to just keep going and believing in yourself even if nobody else does.

Were your parents supportive?


They have always been supportive of my dream to act! They are like my backbone…my support system. I did a few ads and when they came out, my parents would download them and keep watching. They had kept newspaper cuttings of my four-year-old ad with Deepika Padukone.

Any bad experiences?


Bad experience in terms of rejection and being told I’m not good enough? Yes. But nothing apart from that. Fortunately, I have gone to the right places and the right people.

How easy or difficult is it for newcomers to pave their way in showbiz?


It is hard but with OTT coming into the picture, there’s a lot happening. A while ago it was a lot harder, but now it’s just so much more work. I know the competition has increased but so have the opportunities. I’m here now, so I think there’s a possibility for newcomers. I’m only talking from experience.

How are you going to select your next project?


Honestly, as someone who has just entered the industry, I don’t think I have the privilege of choosing from a bunch of offers coming to me. There are actually a handful of things that end up working out. I just think you just have to be sure of what you are doing and the kind of people you are with, and whether you believe in the project. At least that’s how I treat work in my life.

Do you think star kids have easy access to plum projects?


Definitely! No one in the world can deny the fact that they definitely have easy access. But I don’t know if I can blame them for it. A lot of times I see people blaming these kids who are just taking advantage of the advantage that they have. It would be unfair to blame them specifically. But they do have it easy. I hope to God that they realise it and be working hard enough to justify it. That’s all.

With fame comes responsibility and social media trolling and negativity too. Will it bother you if something of this sort happens in the future?


Fortunately or unfortunately I have been on social media for long enough to have dealt with it already. I have grown a thicker skin than I had towards it. But I don’t think it ever gets easy. It’s never nice to hear mean things about you or have your personal life targeted. I just have to be strong enough to know that these are people and opinions that don’t define who I am. I think it shouldn’t change how I feel about myself.

What’s next?


I wish I could talk about these things but I don’t think I am allowed to. But I am definitely trying to get more work.

Do you have any actors on your wishlist to work with?


There are so many! I love Shah Rukh Khan, Priyanka Chopra, Deepika Padukone, Ranbir Kapoor, Alia Bhatt… All of these are such phenomenal actors!