New Delhi, Feb 27 (IANS): Actress Huma Qureshi says shooting for Deepa Mehtas "Leila" was difficult.

Huma turned down several offers and dedicated straight six whole months of her time to the show.

"It was a very difficult shoot, when we at times shot for 14-16 hours at a stretch," Huma said in a statement.

"I would often switch my phone off during the shoot so as not to be distracted. I just wanted to essay this role to the best of my abilities," added the actress, who is currently in Delhi shooting for the show.

Directed by acclaimed filmmaker Mehta, "Leila" is a part of a slate of 17 original made-in-Asia shows announced by Netflix at a conference in Singapore last year. Huma will be joined by Siddharth in "Leila".

Adapted from an eponymous novel by writer and executive producer Urmi Juvekar, the series is set in the near future and tells the story of a mother's search for her daughter, from whom she was separated 16 years ago.