Radhika Bhirani (MUMBAI MIRROR; December 11, 2019)

She brought her acting prowess to the big screen with Telugu movie Arjun Reddy (2017), in which she shared screen space with Vijay Deverakonda. Now, Shalini Pandey is all set to make his Bollywood debut alongside Ranveer Singh.

We have exclusively learnt that she will feature as Ranveer’s leading lady in his next project, Jayeshbhai Jordaar, the storyline of which celebrates women empowerment.

Shalini, who started her career as a theatre actor in Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh, before working in the Telugu film industry, is excited about her big-ticket Bollywood debut. “I’ve been blessed with this huge chance to show my mettle in the Hindi film industry and I’m incredibly thankful for it. I’m also very fortunate to be sharing screen space with Ranveer who is one of the biggest superstars of our generation and one of the most versatile actors, too,” says Shalini, who also featured in Mahanati (2018).

Thrilled about being paired opposite Ranveer, who plays a Gujarati in the movie, Shalini, 25, adds, “This inspires me to prepare myself thoroughly to deliver the best.”

The film’s producer, Maneesh Sharma, says the script and the vision of the film demanded a fresh face for the leading lady’s part. “Shalini’s audition was so spontaneous and nuanced that we knew immediately that she was the right person for the role. She is an assured actor with a refreshing presence, and we have real confidence in backing her talent,” he adds.