Shirley Setia is shooting for her Tollywood debut project in Hyderabad. While she looks forward to finding a ground in the Telugu film industry, she shares that learning the language is no cakewalk. “I’ve never been great at memorising things but I’m good at understanding and applying them. Some days, I struggle a lot. I hope by the time I finish the shoot, I can speak the language more fluently so that I can dub for myself,” she says.

Despite being part of a new set in a different state, Setia says she never had to try hard to fit in. “My producers and co-actors make me feel at home. They understand I’m away from my parents. They’re extremely caring. I don’t feel like an outsider. It’s only the language that’s different,” she says.

The actor also says Tollywood has made her more disciplined. “They start working early. We shoot from 6 am to 6 pm,” she says, adding, “Initially, it felt a struggle but I got into the rhythm. It’s a little more difficult for me because I need to wake up earlier and sit with my tutor to go through my lines.”

Setia’s last release was Maska (2020). The release of her Bollywood debut, Nikamma, got delayed due to the pandemic and she admits the uncertainty took a toll on her. “In the lockdown, I kept wondering what if I’m forgotten as an actor. Thankfully, I pulled myself out of these thoughts,” she adds.