Seema Luthra had always dreamed of becoming an actress, but with a studious family background, she decided to make the move into dental medicine – until the coronavirus pandemic.

When the nation shut down and the Kelburne Dental Surgery in Paisley, where Seema works, was closed, the 34-year-old was left with free time multiple days a week.

However, it wasn’t until she saw an advert for extras in a Bollywood film on social media that she decided to make the leap to bring a childhood dream to life.

She said: “I would not have had this opportunity if it wasn’t for the pandemic.

Seema on set of the film

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“The practice was closed, I had lots of free time – all we were doing was triaging patients over the phone – it was always a passion for me, but I thought they would never pick me.

“I had no experience but they asked me to come in.”

Seema travelled from her home in Broomhill to a warehouse in Springburn for a day of filming, which she thought would be the end of her acting career.

However, the stunned dentist was called to Glasgow Prestwick Airport to film Bell Bottom alongside Bollywood’s answer to Brad Pitt, Akshay Kumar.

The former University of Glasgow student was plucked from the crowds and tested out for a couple of lines opposite the star which, to her amazement, left her with a speaking role in the new hit film.

She said: “I had never been in a film before, so I had to ask the other girls what it meant that the director called me forward and I was shocked.

“Akshay Kumar comes up to ask me a question and I’m the person behind the desk at the airport. I just froze, I was so starstruck.

“They had to reshoot it again and again. Eventually, I managed to get it and I asked if the scene would be in the film. I was told it would but they couldn’t be sure my face would be visible.”

Seema’s pal was the one who shared the exciting news that the final cut did, indeed, show her face after catching the movie in cinemas.

Sadly, Seema’s parents are shielding due to an upcoming medical procedure meaning they haven’t been able to watch their daughter on the silver screen just yet, but, the budding actress was spotted by fans when she visited the movie theatre.

Bollywood star Akshay Kumar

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“I went to see it with my friend,” she said. “And she made such a big fuss in the cinema that people came up to me after and asked ‘was that you in the film?’.

“It was such a great experience. I can’t believe I did it. What a dream come true.”