41-year-old Shefali Shah is in a happy space right now. Her film Dil Dhadakne Do has fared well at the Box Office and the actor has been appreciated for her role as Ranveer Singh’s mother. She tells Deebashree Mohanty that she struck a friendly chord with her screen son from day one. Shah also talks about her willingness to work with reputed directors in the industry and what kind of roles she will accept on TV
She is suave, intelligent and currently hot property in Bollywood. Actress Shefali Shah has created a niche for herself, all due to her persistent hard work. “Nothing ever comes to you on a platter. More so, if you are in the film industry. There is a beeline of actors outside every producer’s office today. Everyone wants to become a star and it’s not that easy,” she says. Shah is basking under the success of her latest Zoya Akhtar film, Dil Dhadakne Do starring Anil Kapoor, Ranveer Singh and Priyanka Chopra in lead roles.
Was she nervous given such a huge starcastIJ “I have spent enough time in Bollywood to realise that nervous energy is a good thing. Over confidence in any situation comes before a fall. When Zoya spoke to me about the film and the character, I was very interested. The moment she told me about the rest of the gang, I felt tremors inside my body. This was going to be a challenge and I have always been up for them,” the 41-year-old actress tells you.
The hands-on mother and hard core professional has a set routine which she follows to the T every day. “For effective role playing, I know it is essential for me to set a target for myself for that day. Work-life balance can be achieved without making a noise about the same. I don’t know why some working mothers fuss about it anyway,” the practical mommy says. Her sons, 12 and 14 are very energetic and they need a referee constantly.
“When they were younger my boys used to be fighting every other day. Now, they have settled down and don’t pose much of a problem,” she says laughingly.
It is their antics and Vipul Shah’s entertaining self that makes Shefali the woman she is today. “If I look and feel young, it’s because I am constantly on the run and I am really, really happy,” the actor informs.
She may have dabbled with TV, theatre and cinema, but Shah feels the times have changed drastically and it has become easier for people to get a break. “Because there are so many mediums and points of entry that actors feel they can adjust anywhere. I am happy for such people who have made it on their own. I have seen many people around me who have struggled their way up. It’s heartening to see that hard work still pays,” Shah, who played Neelam Mehra in her latest film, tells you.
What was the best part about the filmIJ “The locale and the party we had on the cruise liner. After a hectic days shoot, we would all gather around and party all night long. Everyone apart from Anil Kapoor would let their hair loose. Anil is a stickler for time and schedule. If he has to go to bed at 9:30, he makes sure that he does,” the actress says.
Although most of her scenes were with her on-screen husband, Shah says it is Ranveer Singh which struck a chord with her from day one. “He has no airs about himself. We met at the dance rehearsal class and Ranveer walked up to me without waiting for Zoya to make formal introductions. I thought it was a very friendly move. Ranveer is like a ball of energy on the sets. He is always goofing around trying to keep everyone in good spirits. He is an extremely talented actor too,” she says.
In her stint with the movies, Shah has never called up any director and asked for a role. But she regrets that move at this stage of her career. “The more I think of it, the more foolish I feel. There is no guilt or shame in asking for work. I would love to work with Shoojit Sircar, Rajkumar Hirani and Ashutosh Gowariker. They are wonderful people with amazing film sensibilities. They make believable characters. One of these days, I am definitely going to work with them,” Shah, who is also keen to do a finite TV show, tells you.
She started her journey with TV and would like to re-visit if the project is a good one. “I don’t see many new stories on the television these days. If there is a subject off the beaten path, I would like to give that a try too,” Shah tells you. For the hard working actor, Shefali says she will never search for a short cut in her filmy career.
“I don’t believe in any. For any role and project, all that you need is to put your entire soul behind it. And wish for a lot of luck to fall your way. That is the trick to success,” she concludes.