In an industry where casting changes are no longer rare, actress Sreeleela seems to be facing this more often than most. Having risen to stardom in record time, Sreeleela has seen opportunities come her way — and sometimes slip away, in unexpected ways.
The latest is Lenin, an upcoming rural drama set against the Rayalaseema backdrop, starring Akkineni Akhil. After nearly two years of pre-production and much anticipation for Akhil’s comeback, the team began shooting with Sreeleela as the female lead.
But after just eight days of shoot, Sreeleela exited the project. Stepping into her shoes is Bhagyashree Borse, a rising face in Telugu cinema. While the makers have not issued an official statement, industry talk points to date clashes as the reason — with Sreeleela juggling big Bollywood projects and Pawan Kalyan’s Ustaad Bhagat Singh.
Interestingly, Lenin isn’t the only project where this has happened. Sreeleela was also the original choice for Vijay Deverakonda and Gowtam Tinnanuri’s much-awaited Kingdom. She even attended the film’s launch ceremony, but was later replaced, again by Bhagyashree Borse. Given the buzz around Kingdom, it was undoubtedly a missed opportunity for the young actress.
A common thread in these instances is Sithara Entertainments, the banner backing both Lenin and Kingdom. It doesn’t stop there — Anaganaga Oka Raju, starring Naveen Polishetty, also saw Sreeleela replaced, this time by Meenakshi Chaudhary.
Ironically, the only time this replacement trend worked in Sreeleela’s favour was with Guntur Kaaram. Initially cast as the second lead, she became the main heroine after Pooja Hegde’s exit, marking a big win for her.
In the end, casting reshuffles are part of the film business, but for Sreeleela, a star on the rise — they are a reminder that timing and availability often shape careers as much as talent.
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