Shirley Setia made her big screen debut this year with Nikamma and later got to make her Telugu film debut with Krishna Vrinda Vihari. The actor is more than thankful for 2022, as she saw her childhood dream come true.

She tells us, “I’ve always dreamt of becoming an actor and seeing myself on the big screen one day. And that finally happened, with two of my films. I feel grateful for how things panned out.”

Setia feels fortunate that at a time when most Hindi films were unable to amass much at the box office, her Telugu project raked in the moolah. She recalls, “I asked a friend in Bengaluru to book tickets [to my film in advance] because there was chatter that all the shows are housefull. But, she was like, ‘Koi baat nahin. Hume aise hi mil jayegi ticket’. But, she soon called back to say, ‘Shirley, mujhe iss film ki tickets mili hi nahin and I’m so happy about it (laughs)’.”

What made these moments extra special was her parents flying down from New Zealand to India to be with her: “They were so happy for me. There’s no greater joy than seeing your parents happy and proud because of what you’ve done.”

Gearing up for 2023, Setia says she’s gradually picking up tricks to survive in the industry. “I’ve realized I need to be a little thick-skinned. Earlier, I’d take everything to heart. Even trolls used to affect me a lot. But, you have to tell yourself that it’s not a big deal. You’ve to only focus on giving your best because that’s what people are going to see. It’s the result that matters — that’s what this year has taught me,” she wraps up.