Rachi Sharma opens up on Rohit Chandel & others' replacement from Aami Daakini: 'Didn't create impact..'

Rachi Sharma, who played Purvi in Kumkum Bhagya, is now leading Sony TV’s new fiction show Aami Daakini. The series explores a horror narrative with romantic elements, marking a genre shift for the actor. In an exclusive interview with India Forums, the actress revealed if she has ever had a paranormal experience and also commented on Rohit Chandel and the previous cast of the show being replaced overnight.

How much do you personally believe in horror and the supernatural? Have you ever had a paranormal experience or anything unusual you’d like to share with us?

Nothing has happened so far, and honestly, I don’t want anything to happen either! But I do believe that not everything in life can be explained logically. Some things just don’t have a clear reason. For me, this show was really interesting because it’s quite different from what we usually see on television. Typically, most shows revolve around similar storylines: romance, family drama, the usual setup. But this one offers something more. Yes, it does have family dynamics, but there’s also a thrilling, suspenseful element. That combination really drew me to the character. I felt like I’d get the chance to experiment a lot as an actor through this role.

When the new promos featuring you and Hitesh were released, they revealed a completely new tone. With you and Hitesh now part of the cast, it’s clear that some significant changes were made and Rohit & the previous cast was replaced. Everyone's been wondering, what exactly happened? Why was the original cast replaced, and how did you two come on board?

When I first got a call about this project, I honestly had no idea which show it was for. I only knew the producer of the show and that it had already started shooting in Kolkata. When the first promo came out, I think it didn’t create the impact the team was hoping for. They wanted to lean more into the horror genre. So, they decided to make a few changes. I got a call for an audition, went in, and the very next day, I was told that I was locked for the role. As for why the original cast was replaced or what went wrong, I really have no clue. All I know is that the makers wanted to rework the tone of the show and move more strongly into the horror space.

Earlier speaking to us, the actress also spoke about reshooting for Kumkum Bhagya and said: ''I finished my journey with Kumkum Bhagya in February. Even though the main shoot was done, they called me back for a few more days to wrap up some remaining scenes. I agreed to do it. I spent about fifteen months playing Purvi, and that character was very different from Meera. Purvi was sensitive and very expressive with her emotions. She would cry and react openly. Meera is different. She is more in control. She does not cry easily and faces tough situations without showing weakness. That shift between the two characters has been interesting for me. The shows are also very different. Kumkum Bhagya was a family drama, while Aami Daakini is a horror show with romance. The change in genre and tone has been a new experience, and I’m getting to work with a very different kind of story.'

Aami Dakini sees Hitesh Bharadwaj and Rachi Sharma in the lead roles and Sheen Das in the titular character of 'Daakini.' The show has been performing pretty well in terms of the ratings ever since its release and has been giving a neck to neck competition to Harshad Chopda and Shivangi Joshi starrer Bade Acche Lagte Hain 4.