Meet Geet

Sony TV's new leading lady is a 17-year-old girl from the city. Surilie Gautam is now Geet

Just a few weeks back, Sony Television trooped in with the cast and crew from their new primetime show 'Meet Mila De Rabba'. In came stalwarts like Raza Murad, Asha Sharma to leading actors like Rajeshwari Sachdev, Kunickaa Sadanand Lall along with the show's writer, cinematographer, producer and director. But conspicuous by her absence was the show's leading lady — Geet. Guarded like a closely-kept secret the channel refused to let us in on who was playing Geet's part and answering all queries with 'she's a new find'. Now with the show on air (it premiered on November 3 before the industry strike), we have caught Geet on screen. But here's the bigger surprise. Playing the "main protagonist" is a 17-year-old from the city, a Class XII student Surilie Gautam. Interestingly, Surilie's elder sister Yami Gautam debuted on television last year on NDTV Imagine before moving on to another show. So does acting run in the family? "We both have been extremely lucky given the good breaks we have got," tells Surilie who walked in for auditions held earlier this year in the city. "I was out with friends and didn't take it so seriously," reminisces the actor who hasn't had any formal training in the medium. "All that I learnt has been on the sets. And all those relentless auditions helped too," chuckles the younger of the two sisters who is fast finding her feet in Mumbai. "Once the final call came in that I would play Geet, I have had full support from my parents," tells Surilie, who took special permission from her school - Government Model Senior Secondary School, Sector 16, Chandigarh to be a part of the show. "I have all intention to sit for my Board exams. I even take two subject books with me to the sets," Surilie makes it clear. As far as acting goes, she says it's been a cakewalk. "I am not at all conscious of the camera. I enjoy every minute of the attention," sounds a confident Gautam who is on many levels like her character. "Geet and I are similar in many ways. We are both the same age, talk a lot, are chirpy and fresh," she says in one breath before adding, "But I wouldn't want to be exactly like her. Then there would be no acting." This teenager is also pretty sure on her new-found acting career. "While as of now I am concentrating on just Meet Mila De Rabba, I want to do more," signs off Gautam, showing no signs that she's just 17!

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