Kavita Awaasthi (HINDUSTAN TIMES; December 5, 2019)

She played a city-bred girl in her first two films, Hero (2015) and Mubarakan (2017) and after a gap of two years, Athiya Shetty is back with Motichoor Chaknachoor in a new avatar. Essaying the role of a small-town girl for the first time, the actor is happy that her work is getting “validated”.

“The role was challenging, as I did step out of my comfort zone. People thought I couldn’t act, but I took a risk and tried something different, so it feels nice to be appreciated. It’s humbling and I feel grateful,” adds Suniel Shetty’s daughter.

The actor admits that she was initially intimidated after reading the script of the film. “I didn’t think I could pull off such a role, as I had only played a city girl in my earlier films. I wondered why the director offered me the role,” she shares, adding, “But after extensive workshops on lingo and body language, and with time, I gained confidence to perform, and it paid off. With this film, I threw myself at the deep end. But I needed that, and it has helped me grow. Now, I won’t be hesitant to take on such different roles.”

Athiya points out that her co-stars Nawazuddin Siddiqui and Vibha Chibber had made her feel “nervous”. The actor, who has taken long gaps in between films, says, “Some days are frustrating, while waiting for the right roles. But, in this career, one must have patience, which many dismiss. There are highs and lows in every actor’s career. Some days, you question yourself and your choices, and on other days, when you are shooting, you feel confident. It takes a lot to be successful in this industry. It takes hard work, perseverance and courage.” She reveals that she kept herself busy with dance and Hindi diction classes while waiting for the right opportunity.

The breaks in her career had led to reports of her being written off from the industry, but Athiya says she never paid heed to them. The 27-year-old actor didn’t want to sign films in a hurry. She adds, “One can’t predict anything in this industry. I was clear that after Mubarakan, I wanted to do films unlike my first two films. I wanted the opportunity to act, and work on myself. Everyone has their own destiny and everyone’s journey is different.”