Shalini Pandey has had quite a journey. From doing drama in Jabalpur, where she hails from, to being the toast of the Telugu industry after the success of Arjun Reddy (2017), she has seen some incredible highs in her life. She has an pan-Indian face, which has helped her land both South and Bollywood films. In her recently released OTT film Maharaj, she plays a bubbly Gujarati girl who blindly trusts a religious guru and ends up losing her life. It was a layered role but she got the sur of it right. The film marked the debut of Aamir Khan’s son Junaid Khan. Shalini calls him the sweetest co-star she’s ever worked with and says he’s sans any starry airs. She held her own against Jaideep Ahlawat in the film. They had an extremely difficult intimate scene in the film but Shalini pulled that off with aplomb. Her excitement seeps through the airwaves as she sassily answers my questions on the phone. Excerpts:
WHAT KIND OF ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE YOUR CHARACTERS FROM ARJUN REDDY AND MAHARAJ?
For Preeti, I would say, meet other men. He’s not the only guy, okay? I've seen what girls like Preeti are like; they completely fall for a guy like that. This is what I tell my sister before meeting one guy - don't get stuck to the one love you have seen in school or college. You feel that’s the only thing, but when you grow older, you realise your values. She needs to grow as a woman on her own. Kishori is a very blindsided woman. I just wish she wouldn't commit suicide. One shouldn’t have to take their life for something like that. And for both these women - please don't centre your world around men. Men are amazing, but please get to know yourself first.
WHAT WAS YOUR REACTION WHEN MAHARAJ CAME TO YOU?
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Denne historien er fra August 2024-utgaven av Filmfare.
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Breaking free
NIKKHIL ADVANI'S MAKING WAVES WITH HIS OTT DEBUT, FREEDOM AT MIDNIGHT. HE TALKS ABOUT ITS GENESIS, HIS ASSOCIATION WITH KARAN JOHAR, AND WHAT'S REAL STARDOM WITH SRIJITA SEN
DECK THE HALLS
Chris Evans and Dwayne Johnson join Tanzim Pardiwalla over a video call about their forthcoming Christmas film, Red One, possible Bollywood crossovers and their love for India
Class Act
NEHA DHUPIA SHARES THE SECRET OF JUGGLING MOTHERHOOD AND CAREER WHILE STAYING RELEVANT WITH FARHANA FAROOK
Deep end of the Ocean
Cancer survivor Mahima Chaudhary tells Farhana Farook that playing a similar person in The Signature proved cathartic for her
DESTINY'S WILD CHILD
ALAYA F CAUGHT IN A CONVERSATION WITH JITESH PILLAAI
SEOUL CONNECTION
Director Hwang Dong Hyuk and lead actors Lee Jung Jae and Wi Ha Joon of Squid Game fame talk about the global phenomenon with Tanzim Pardiwalla
"Smita was a victim.not a villain"
Manya Patil-Seth tells Farhana Farook why her late sister Smita Patil was a tragic contradiction – a pioneer of an actor but a prey of emotions
Best of Shatrughan Sinha's Rapid fire
With democracy facing a near-death situation in most of India's neighbouring countries, what, according to you, is the reason why Indian democracy is still standing strong in the current times? Gaurav Pant, New Delhi
THE RISE AND RISE OF PUSHPA 2
When Allu Arjun went to Patna around a month ago to showcase the trailer of Pushpa 2, naysayers mocked the move, stating that he's making a mistake about taking a Telugu film there. Guess what, the actor had the last laugh.
girl, uninterrupted
Fatima Sana Shaikh is so candid and forthright you don't believe she's a star.
