Shefali Shah doesn’t always have it together, even if her towering public persona suggests otherwise. Both, the women she has played on screen and the woman the public has known through the filter of media, have contributed to this image of someone who can never fall apart. Shah is serious, solid, and sure-footed, until she lets one in her mind through her “sort-of-memoir”, The Audacity Of Being.

The Shefali Shah that one meets is a revelation. She is chaotic, impulsive, funny, and like any woman, has a million moments of self-doubt. “I think people wonder, ‘Isko toh kabhi koi problem nahi hoti hogi. She is always in control’,” the actor tells Sunday mid-day.

The point of a memoir is to be honest, but revelations about the self come with risk, especially for a public figure. “It was a risk, until I made the decision. Once I knew I was writing this, there was no other way of telling it besides honestly. And that’s me in everything I do,” she says.

The book that marks Shah’s debut as an author makes one thing clear: You can’t make Shefali Shah do anything. So, while the decision to write a memoir didn’t come from her, it felt like the right thing to do in the pursuit of her bigger goal, sharing the volume of stories living inside her with the world.

“I wanted to actually publish my novella, which is a fictional story. But my publishers thought that my first book had to be a memoir or a biography. I was not very convinced... And that’s exactly why it’s a sort-of-memoir, because it’s not like ‘this happened, then I was born here’. Now, when I look back, it was a good place to start because it’s my story. I can say what I want to. And no one’s going to sue me,” she laughs.

Writing a memoir inevitably involves revisiting unpleasant memories. One such memory in Shah’s book involves her school days. She shares she was bullied by her classmates, even as her mother didn’t allow her to make friends. The actor corrects us, though.

“It wasn’t unpleasant. In fact, I could revisit it in much more clarity because I was glimpsing it from outside. I was, however, sceptical because talking about it could hurt my parents. It’s very easy to blame your mother when you are growing up. But as I grew older, and particularly when I became a mother, I realized they did the best they could. Writing about that wasn’t even emotional. It was all just coming out; there was no feeling of ‘Oh My God! Why did this happen?’ Ho gaya na. Fine, move on.”

With clarity, has she gotten the answer to why she was subjected to bullying in school? “Maybe they thought I was very LS [‘low standards’]. So, the school I went to is very prestigious; rich people sent their children there. My parents weren’t rich. I was ashamed of my tiffin because I didn’t know if the thepla or roti-sabzi in it was going to be judged. My peers could pick up a bread roll from the canteen; I could not,” she says.

“Maybe [it was] because I was too dark or because I had two oily plaits. Maybe because I wasn’t a cool kid. I really don’t know what it was, but, now when I look back, it’s on them, not me,” she adds.

This became her mantra for life. Come what may, Shah wasn’t ready to fit in, especially when she experienced freedom for the first time through performance arts. Part after part, she built a rare career for a woman actor in the Indian film industry that featured fully-realised women with their quirks, flaws, dreams, and desires. For someone, who claims in the book and to us in person that she is not ambitious, a rich career of over three decades is no less than a feat.

“Just after Monsoon Wedding (2001), I got married and was pregnant with my first child. At that point of time I wasn’t even thinking of my career. I just wanted to have babies and take care of them. And that’s exactly what I did. After my second child, I felt ready to come back,” she recalls.

Then, she did Waqt [The Race Against Time (2005)], “where I played a mother and cut all my chances of playing anything my age”. “I was ready to work but I didn’t get anything that was exciting enough. But I never had a drive or an ambition to pitch myself to a director because I don’t think I am an ambitious person. It is so stupid. How are you expecting people to know you exist? I mean people didn’t even know if I was alive or dead,” she laughs.

In 2019, Shah struck gold with filmmaker Richie Mehta’s crime thriller Delhi Crime. Even if unintentionally, Shah also managed to challenge the one thing that’s often weaponized against female stars in the movies: time. Here was a 45-year-old leading woman of a blockbuster series. The success of which led her to six projects across theatres and OTT, making her one of the busiest female actors in Bollywood.

“If I was told years before I did DC, ‘You would be headlining a project in your 40s,’ I would have laughed the loudest. I was at the right place at the right time. It depended on a lot of choices I made earlier. So many actors, who work in television, get typecast. Had I been probably doing television, maybe this wouldn’t have happened. I did Juice [2017], which worked almost like my showreel. I thought, ‘Yes, you can rule at 40.’ I got six projects after DC. I thought to myself, ‘I have arrived’. The next year, I was back to feeling, ‘Okay what is happening?” she laughs.

At 53, time feels like sand slipping through her hand. “I wish DC had happened earlier,” she tells us, “Because then I would have had a longer run and done many films and played so many parts.”

But Shah has a plan. “I’m probably at my thinnest right now and I like the way I look. I’ve also cut off age, because when you’re thinner you probably look younger. And I mean thinner in a good way, not like when you’re dilapidated. There’s only so much work that will come for a 52-53 year old and it will be in the same bracket, but if I look like I’m in my 40s, I still have another couple of years,” she says.

In February, mid-day had reported that Shilpa Shetty Kundra and Jackie Shroff were set to reunite for a slice-of-life series (Life in a metro with ’90s stars, Feb 21). But it looks like there has been a casting change in the series, tentatively titled Coke. Sources close to the development have told us that Shetty has exited the project.

Apparently the actor’s exit comes down to scheduling conflicts. A source revealed, “Shilpa was excited about the material and the chance to collaborate with Jackie again after Jung [2000]. But the dates could not be aligned, given her existing commitments.”

The show, backed by Boong producers Shujaat Saudagar and Vikesh Bhutani, is expected to go on floors later this month.

With the timeline locked, the makers have moved swiftly to secure a replacement. And a strong performer at that — Shefali Shah. Word is that the actor is in advanced talks to headline the story. Another insider shared, “The makers needed someone who could bring gravitas to the part. Shefali was always on their wishlist. The conversations have been positive, and the teams are now finalising the paperwork and dates.”

mid-day reached out to Bhutani, who didn’t respond till press time.

For decades, senior characters in Hindi cinema were relegated to narrow templates: the selfless, sacrificing goddess figure, the widowed mother praying for Karan and Arjun’s return, or Raj and Pooja Malhotra navigating late-life heartbreak in Baghban. Even in lighter films, elders remained affectionate side notes: Amarjeet Kapoor (Rishi Kapoor) in Kapoor & Sons, the loving dadi (Farida Jalal) in Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, or the spirited tipplers Dolly Arora (Dolly Ahaluwalia) and Biji (Kamlesh Gill) in Vicky Donor. Their role was to nurture, advise, or amuse.

Recent films offer a striking reversal. In Vadh, retired schoolteacher Shambhunath Mishra (played by Sanjay Mishra) murders a predatory loan shark and carefully stages the perfect cover-up. Its follow-up, Vadh 2, places him inside prison, navigating the underworld economy that thrives behind bars. In Suresh Triveni’s Subedaar, retired army man Arjun Maurya (played by Anil Kapoor) works as a mafia bodyguard and answers humiliation with violence.

Look further south and Mammootty is rewriting the rules of ageing on screen, first as the unsettling anti-hero of Rorschach (2022) and, more recently, as a calculating serial killer in Kalamkaval (2025).

Women characters have also moved decisively away from the saintly mould. In Vadh 2, Neena Gupta plays Manju, a double-murder convict plotting escape. In the streaming series Mrs Deshpande, Madhuri Dixit portrays a woman imprisoned for serial killings. Triveni’s Maa Behen places another maternal figure in a macabre situation: a mother calls her estranged adult daughters home because a corpse is lying in her kitchen.

The trend has been gaining momentum over the last few years. In Darlings (2022), Shamshu Ansari (Shefali Shah) assists her daughter (played by Alia Bhatt) in the brutal retaliation against an abusive husband and carries her own violent past. Ajji (2017) follows a frail grandmother who carefully plots revenge against the man who raped her nine-year-old granddaughter.

These are neither supporting turns nor caricatured villains. They are central characters: flawed, furious and fully in command of their stories. The greying character is no longer a sentimental aside. Increasingly, they are the story’s driving force.

Part of the fascination lies in the narrative surprise. Audiences have been conditioned to associate age with passivity or moral authority, not danger. Writer-director Jaspal Singh Sandhu, who created the Vadh franchise, points out that the unexpected nature of the character drives the tension. “When you get something where it’s not expected, it works like a charm. It’s easy to create drama there,” he says, referring to Shambhunath Mishra, the quiet retiree who methodically turns predator into prey.

Triveni believes the disruption itself generates conflict. “An older person as a criminal creates instant tension,” he says. “We don’t associate age with threat or strength, so it surprises us.”

Writer-director-actor Vijay Maurya, whose Mast Mein Rehne Ka (2023) follows two ageing characters who begin breaking into homes simply for the thrill of it, argues that these stories deliberately move older characters away from pity. “In real life, oldies can be quite mad if you just open them up,” he says. “I wanted to push the characters away from sympathy and into adventure.”

The idea that age is just a number is moving beyond rhetoric and into storytelling. Filmmakers say the notion that life ends at 55 no longer reflects how people live or see themselves. Triveni sees a generational shift underway. “The older generation is making a statement: we are not done or down and out yet,” he says.

“Look at social media. You see people in their 60s getting fitter and reinventing themselves. Actors too have stayed relevant. The fuddy-duddy parents we once saw in films are changing.”

That shift is visible on screen. Contemporary cinema is replacing automatic sympathy for elderly characters with agency. The appeal may also lie in the contrast with reality. Off screen, older people often seem to be losing control, whether to automation, online scams or growing dependence. On screen, however, seniors command the narrative. They can be angry, manipulative, even criminal, and still hold the audience’s attention.

For Maurya, that freedom reflects an evolution in storytelling. “The germ of ideas has evolved,” he says. “As a writer, it’s an exciting time because you can go radical with characterizations and people will still connect with them.”

With streaming platforms expanding the range of stories being told, filmmakers expect the shift to continue. Triveni believes changing formats and viewing habits are widening the narrative space for older protagonists. “There’s a cultural shift underway,” he says. “A wider audience means a chance for newer narratives, and those narratives are putting elders at the centre of the story.”

For Sandhu, the real transformation lies in the way characters are now conceived. “The character’s story, not age, is the hero,” he says. “If the actor and the character fit the narrative and entertain you, where does the question of age arise?”

And so, it appears, Hindi cinema is finally letting its elders be fully human — messy, cunning, and occasionally dangerous. They are no longer just waiting for a phone call from their children; they are making the world answer to them.

Three blind men rob a bank. That premise led to a gripping heist drama in filmmaker Vipul A Shah’s Aankhen (2002). With his next, Hisaab, the director promises a bank robbery “with a twist”. The cherry on the top is its cast — Jaideep Ahlawat and Shefali Shah.

“After Aankhen, I always wanted to make another film on a bank heist, but I was not getting the right idea. Hisaab is as unique a story as Aankhen was — a kind of heist film that India has not seen before. It’s taken us a long time to write it. Comparisons with Aankhen are unavoidable, though there is nothing common between the two films [except] the bank robbery. So, we wanted to make something that had strong content,” shared the director.

An ace up Vipul’s sleeve is the casting, as he has reunited Ahlawat and Shefali after their tender love story, Three Of Us (2023). In them, the director found the strong performers he was seeking.

“Jaideep and Shefali are two phenomenal actors who can deliver performances with ease and depth. [No matter] whether they have done Three Of Us or 30 films together, they will be a pair to watch out for. The scenes light up when they are together, and it’s beautiful for me as a director to watch it happen.”

With the shoot complete, Hisaab is being readied for a theatrical release. The director will zero in on a release date after his production, The Kerala Story 2: Goes Beyond — a film through which he wants “to be the voice of the victims” — arrives in cinemas.

Actor Shefali Shah recently opened up about choosing self-worth over compromise, saying she once reached a point in life where she realised, “I am not pizza; I can’t satisfy everyone.” Reflecting on the emotional toll of her first marriage to actor Harsh Chhaya, she admitted that the challenges she faced with her ex-husband became so overwhelming that she decided to live alone rather than staying in the relationship.

Speaking on Spotlight Sessions podcast, posted on Zoom’s YouTube channel, Shefali shared, “Nobody told me that you are enough. You don’t need a husband, a friend, a brother, a sister to be complete. So if you have great relationships, fantastic. But if you don’t, that’s not going to determine your value. Nobody told me that.”

She added, “You go through things and realize it yourself. It comes to a point where it’s make or break or you. That is when the realization dawns. It may be happening every day, but then there’s that one moment when you realize, ‘Okay, this can kill me. I can’t do this anymore.’”

She continued, “For me, this realization came after my first marriage. A close friend once asked me, ‘What if you never find love again? Would you take that risk or stay?’ I replied that I would still take the risk. If I have to spend my life alone, I would choose that. I cannot remain in a situation that doesn’t bring me joy or make me feel valued. That’s when I decided to move out and live alone for the first time. That’s when I reached a state of enlightenment, realizing that I am not pizza; I can’t satisfy everyone.”

Shefali later got married to filmmaker Vipul Shah in a low-key ceremony in 2000. They share two sons together; Aryaman and Maurya.

The Hindi film industry has long faced criticism for gender bias, particularly when it comes to age and working norms. While Ranveer Singh-starrer recent release Dhurandhar is performing strongly at the box office, it also drew flak for pairing the 40-year-old actor opposite 20-year-old Sara Arjun. Actor Shefali Shah opines that such casting choices reflect the industry’s deeply skewed expectations for men and women.

“It should not be the norm, but sadly, our industry is about ‘hero, heroine, villain’. The hero can be any age, but the heroine has to be aged only between 18 and 25. She can’t age. She has a shelf life,” the 52-year-old actor tells us.

Drawing from her own experience of portraying Amitabh Bachchan’s wife in Waqt: The Race Against Time (2005), Shefali points out how women are often judged differently for the roles they choose: “I played a character much older than me because the point of being an actor is to portray different shades of a person. Age was just a part of it. But sadly, it doesn’t work like that (in the industry).”

Beyond age bias, she believes that gender plays a key role in the ongoing debate around fixed working hours. She says, “I know for a fact that there are male actors who take two to three months off in summer when their kids are on vacation. It’s great, as they know how to balance work and family. But nobody ever talks about that.”

However, the conversation changes when a woman makes a similar request. “Suddenly, it has become a big deal because a woman asked for certain work hours. It’s an individual’s choice, request, and requirement. Some may not agree with it, but nobody’s putting a gun to their head about casting those particular actors. So, why is it even a conversation? If a man had said this, it wouldn’t even have come out,” she ends.

How long does it take for an actor to find her way back to a character when a new season is set to roll? Shefali Shah, who returns as DCP Vartika Chaturvedi in the third season of Delhi Crime, says she wouldn’t know, for a simple reason — she never let the character leave her system. “There are parts that you do and move on. This is something I can’t move on from,” she starts.

Her emotional attachment to the Netflix series is evident. But with the attachment comes nervousness, even though she has played the astute cop, who rarely misses a thing, for two seasons, even bagging an International Emmy nomination in 2023.

“My biggest fear is that I’ll let Vartika and Delhi Crime down,” she admits candidly, before saying how the show elicits conflicting emotions in her. “When I get to know we’re doing another season, I am the happiest. But I don’t let go of that fear. I just surrender.”

Surrendering to scripts and characters is something every artiste swears by. But surrendering to the industry’s functioning style is something more and more actors are voicing out against. With Deepika Padukone’s recent episode opening a dialogue about work-life balance and stipulated working hours in the industry, many actors — including Sonakshi Sinha and Konkona Sen Sharma — have batted for regulation of working conditions on sets. In an unregulated workplace like the film industry, can there be a way for actors to negotiate working hours?

“We need to have this discussion desperately,” emphasizes Shah. “We are reasonable people. So, we realize [the need to accommodate] if a location is not available tomorrow or something has to be done now. But it can’t be the norm.”

Shah says, “I take one-and-a-half hours to reach the set and the same time to return. For those hours on set, I give it my all. I go back home, and hopefully, I can go to the gym because that’s part of my job. Then I will shower, eat, go back to the script, and then wake up the next morning for another day of work. How many hours of sleep am I getting? And how are you expecting me to come with my A-game?”

The actor echoes what Sinha told mid-day recently about the crew suffering more than the actors (What takes 14 hours on set can be done in eight, Nov 1). “On one of the last films I shot for, which had a 10-hour schedule, some of the ADs said, ‘Thank God, she leaves because that way we get to go.’ The rest of the crew doesn’t get paid extra [for the overtime]. Is it fair to them?”

What only makes matters worse is the disparity of treatment between male and female stars. Some stars have pointed out how the same demands made by male actors are readily accommodated, but viewed as a problem when asked for by a female counterpart. Shah agrees, noting, “We [female actors] are talking about eight hours and 10 hours contractually, but have we even accounted for the number of hours some male actors come late? That’s not even considered!” She emphasizes that such long working hours over years can cause burnout, leaving artistes mentally and creatively bankrupt.

But undisciplined sets are not all that we’re talking about. There are the other kinds too — the ones that spark joy and creative stimulation. Like the one led by Delhi Crime 3 director Tanuj Chopra, where Shah was joined by cast regulars Rajesh Tailang, Rasika Dugal, and Jaya Bhattacharya, as well as new entrants to the universe Sayani Gupta, Mita Vashisht, and of course, Huma Qureshi, who plays the antagonist in the police procedural drama.

“Sadly Huma and I just had two scenes. I wish we had more work but when I heard that she is doing the series, I was so excited. When we met — be it Huma, Sayani, Mita ma’am — there was no such thing as breaking the ice. It was almost like being a part of something we wanted to create together. It’s one of the most powerful female ensemble casts you’ll ever see.” 

In the film industry, sets populated by women have historically been called many things — difficult, filled with insecurity, and almost all wrapped up in misogyny. She smiles as she describes this set as a place of sisterhood. “I don’t want to undermine male actors because I have worked with some amazing ones, but I have felt a silent sisterhood. I feel that for other people around me, and the same was true [on this set]. You have to see how happy I get when I am with all these beautiful women.”

Even though Shefali Shah hasn’t met Zohran Mamdani, she feels a bond with the Mayor-elect of New York City. The actor, who worked with Mamdani’s mother Mira Nair in ‘Monsoon Wedding’ (2001), shares, “From the time we did ‘Monsoon Wedding’ to date, I get a Christmas or New Year’s card [from Nair], which has a picture of all three of them. So, I have seen him from his childhood to now. I don’t know him personally, but it [his recent win] feels so good.”

Just before Diwali, the November premiere of the third season of Delhi Crime was announced. Lead actor Shefali Shah calls this news a “divine intervention” amid the festive season’s excitement. “It feels like this Diwali’s patakha. I’ve been asked constantly when the next season is dropping, and it took a lot to be secretive,” the 52-year-old tells us.

This season brings out the actor’s playful spirit. “During Diwali, I get this childlike excitement,” she laughs, adding, “It’s my favourite festival, something I look forward to every year.”

Shefali fondly recalls how Diwali was a ‘big deal’ during her childhood. She remembers waking up at 5 am to the smell of patakhas filling the air and how new curtains were always part of the celebration. “The night before Diwali, my mother used to make a rangoli of Lakshmi ji, and I would get very possessive about it,” she shares, adding, “I would get upset if somebody were to spoil it. I would sit up all night while she was making the rangoli and help her.”

That’s why every ritual and tradition still feels meaningful to her. “It’s about the puja, about everyone coming together and decorating the house. And finally on the Diwali night, it’s about our core circle being together,” she says.

Shefali also enjoys the Diwali tradition of giving gifts, which she personally handpicks. “I don’t just order something and ask others to make it. If you’re giving a gift, it has to be personal,” she explains, sharing that she visited Mumbai’s Crawford Market this year to source goodies herself.

“I went through all the garmi, dhool, and mitti, made my selections, brought them home, packed everything, and sent it off with a note. I love giving gifts, but I don’t really receive them. Maybe I should tell people it’s time they start giving me gifts,” she adds.

Being one of the few actresses in Hindi cinema to command an oeuvre comprising powerful characters like DCP Vartika Chaturvedi (Delhi Crime) or Shamshu (Darlings), Shefali Shah has often been labelled the torchbearer of women empowerment on screen. However, the actress doesn’t believe she can provide an instruction manual.

“Every woman has different parameters. I’m no one to judge or provide an instruction booklet to people. When I chose to take a sabbatical to nurture my children, it felt empowering to know that my kids were dependent on me,” Shefali explains.

The Dil Dhadakne Do actress – who was in the city over the weekend for a talk – tells us how she loves being real on social media, exploring regional stories for films, and more.

Shefali recently documented her solo trip to Manali on social media, where she expressed her love for exploring local culture and lands. Ask her if she’d want to bring any of these stories alive on the big screen, and the actress – who has also found a penchant for writing – says, “I would love to do things in regional languages. There is such rich culture when it comes to Marathi or Gujarati literature, and even Bengali. No one’s exploring these or using them to interpret stories on screen. I think I’ll go through all the literature possible and decide what I want to go ahead with.”

Coming to Gujarati, Shefali, whose mother is a Gujarati – and she is married to a Gujarati (filmmaker Vipul Amrutlal Shah) – shares that she isn’t well-versed in the language.

“I must admit that I am not synced much with Gujarati literature. I’m not proud of it, but it’s a fact as it has never been my first language, despite my mother being a Gujarati. But there is so much beautiful stuff that is yet to be explored. I think I would like to be part of a remake of Santu Rangili (the 1976 Gujarati film starring Aruna Irani and Arvind Trivedi).”

While it is tough to gauge the difference between what’s real and reel on social media, Shefali says that she cannot be anything else but authentic and real. “A lot of times, it (her content) may seem inappropriate, so I’m advised to take something off, but it’s a conscious decision to be myself because I really can’t be anyone else. There’s no point in posting perfectly manicured pictures all the time. There’s nothing real about it.”

The Hindi film industry is infamous for perpetuating the culture of silence. But this time around, it has responded swiftly to allegations of Homebound cinematographer Pratik Shah’s inappropriate behaviour. mid-day has learnt that the cinematographer has been dropped from Shefali Shah’s yet-untitled film, which is slated to roll this week.

This development comes after independent filmmaker Abhinav Singh, on May 29, cited the testimonies of multiple women and called Pratik “emotionally abusive” and “manipulative”. Taking to Instagram Stories, Singh revealed that the women’s testimonies stated that Pratik behaved like a “predator” and would often solicit or send unsolicited nude pictures of himself. Soon after Singh’s allegations came to light, it was reported that Pratik, five years ago, was investigated by the Indian Women Cinematographers’ Collective (IWCC) after a young cinematographer had complained against him for soliciting a nude picture. 

An insider reveals, “In light of these serious accusations, the team of Shefali’s film has decided to drop him. The makers are looking for a replacement, and the project will roll in a few days.”

This may not be the only project to take action against the cinematographer. It has been heard that Pratik’s association with the Sourav Ganguly biopic, helmed by Vikramaditya Motwane, has also been put on hold. An internal inquiry has been ordered on the matter.

“After the Cannes première of Homebound, Pratik flew to the UK for the biopic’s recce. But now, an Internal Complaints Committee [ICC] has been formed to investigate the claims against him before any decisions about his involvement are made. The pre-production on the project continues as scheduled.” Before this, Pratik worked with Motwane on Jubilee (2023) and CTRL (2024).

With the episode putting the spotlight on women’s safety in the film industry once again, the IWCC has taken cognizance of the allegations. “Considering a complaint was registered with them against Pratik in 2020, the IWCC has promptly taken note of the matter. It has asked female cinematographers to come forward to share their experiences, if any, with Pratik. They are looking into it seriously,” says a source. 

Two women from different parts of the entertainment industry also reached out to mid-day and shared their accounts of alleged misconduct by Pratik. The accounts mirror the cinematographer’s supposed pattern of initiating contact on Instagram or dating apps, with conversations soon turning “lewd”, and involving sending unsolicited or soliciting nude pictures and sexual voice notes.   

Pratik has yet to respond publicly to the allegations. He deactivated his Instagram account shortly after the accusations came to light. 

Dharma Productions, which backed Homebound, issued a statement after Pratik Shah was accused of inappropriate behaviour.

It read, “We have a zero tolerance policy against inappropriate behaviour and sexual harassment towards any individual working with us in any capacity, and we treat sexual harassment cases very seriously. Mr Pratik Shah was a freelancer on Homebound, and was working on it for a limited period. His engagement with us has been completed. During this limited period, our internal committee for POSH didn’t receive any complaints against him from any cast or crew on Homebound.”

A recent event hosted by the Lucknow chapter of FICCI FLO, turned into a significant one with the National Award winning actress Shefali Shah interacting with the lady members in a session titled ‘Rise and Roar’.

Sharing her thoughts on various topics including her career, OTT, relationships and courage with Swati Verma and Vandita Agarwal, the Darlings actress began the session by sharing her warm first impression of the city. “What I loved about Lucknow is how clean the roads are, the city is spaced out and well-planned. Yes, Chowk is a little different, but that’s supposed to be like an old city,” she said with a smile.

Reflecting on her upbringing, Shefali spoke of her humble roots, being the daughter of a doctor and a Reserve Bank of India employee. “I’m extremely lucky and a privileged daughter because of my parents, whom I credit for my values,” she shared. She further shared about her journey into acting, Shefali revealed that it was never a planned move.

“I hated studies, and going into acting was never on the horizon. I wanted to be an air hostess. However, I started with theatre, and then it all just happened organically,” she said with a smile.

The Satya and Dil Dhadakne Do actress also spoke about some defining moments of her life, receiving cheers and applause from the women in the room. “As an actor, it might seem shocking, but my defining moment came just a couple of years ago, even after working for so long. That moment translated into more work. That happened with Delhi Crime for me, where my art was appreciated and I had the opportunity to play a lead role and work at my age,” she said, adding, “Earlier, our traditional films mostly revolved around a hero-heroine and a pair of friends. For a very long time, there was no space for real characters. However, with the arrival of OTT, we now give space and consideration to characters.”

Touching upon the evolution of content, Shefali called OTT a game-changer. “It’s not led by numbers, age, skin colour, or how beautiful or thin you are. OTT gives space for the real you and real characters. But yes, the charm of samosas and watching a movie in a theatre is irreplaceable. Still, OTT is a boon for actors like me, a platform where, in films, there hadn’t been much character work for someone like me.”

Speaking of another turning point in her life that required courage, she shared, “The second was when I chose to walk out of an unhappy relationship. Whether there is something else or not, the question was, do I want to live like this all my life? I probably could have been alone for the rest of my life, but I’m glad I took that step.”

On relationships and tolerance, the Hasratein and Juice actress, who is married to filmmaker Vipul Shah, added, “There is a basic level of tolerance, and anyone in a marriage will stretch themselves. But when taking someone for granted piles up, that’s when trouble begins. You may disagree, but respect towards each other must be there. Humour and wit are important to get through the journey of life, but we should also pay heed to situations when the jokes become too much,” she emphasized.

Known for her strong opinions and powerful characters, Shefali has perhaps not done many films but says she has always chosen roles with substance. “When you decide to be that kind of actor, then you don’t get to do many films, because characters like these don’t come often. The kind of work I do doesn’t come often, and I’ve learned to say no—and I have the privilege to do so. I am happiest on set. Even though I don’t necessarily love all the people, I love the give and take in this craft.”

As the session drew to a close, and the women keenly listened to the profound conversation, Shefali, who has two sons Aryaman and Maurya, also reflected on parenting. “Earlier, it used to be our mothers who led the narrative; now our children do. My parents taught me to be selfless. But now our kids are teaching us how self-preservation is important too. Parenting is both a bane and a boon, and it’s a different journey for each parent,” she reflected.

“Do you want me to write a song for it?” That was lyricist-singer Swanand Kirkire’s reaction when director Avinash Arun offered him Three Of Us. His response was natural since acting offers don’t come too often to him —this, even though he won a National Award for his performance in Chumbak (2017). 

“Acting has never been my bread and butter. But I loved the script of Three Of Us. When Avinash said he wanted me to play the husband’s role, I was happy because that’s the character I love the most,” says Kirkire.

The drama revolves around Shefali Shah’s Shailja, who revisits her former lover Pradeep—played by Jaideep Ahlawat—as she begins losing her memory to dementia. Kirkire as her husband Dipankar completes the love triangle.

“You see the film through his eyes because you’re as uncertain about Shailja and Pradeep’s friendship as he is. He is the only one who shows his insecurity, the only one with a reconciliation graph. Another thing that drew me to him was that he didn’t understand poetry and music. That was a challenge for me because I earn my bread and butter through them.”

At a time when larger-than-life cinema is drawing audiences, it’s a feat in itself to have a mid-sized film on the big screen. Kirkire credits Arun’s compelling storytelling for it. For him, the film’s victory also lies in the fact that it is fronted by middle-aged actors.

“There was a time when at 40-plus, female actors’ careers would be over. Today, they are ruling the OTT space—from Sushmita Sen to Raveena Tandon. Shefali is one of the examples of a great talent leading many series, and now a film. Young people also need to see such films because they will get old some day.”

Sometimes, a seeming loss turns into an unexpected gain. That’s what happened with Avinash Arun. When the production of Paatal Lok’s second season was delayed due to the pandemic, the director had no idea that it would lead to the creation of Three Of Us. “When Paatal Lok 2 got pushed, I had no work. I got nervous. One night, after meeting director Chaitanya Tamhane, I got so inspired that I returned home and started writing. Within a week, my two friends, Arpita Chatterjee and Omkar Barve, and I wrote the screenplay for Three Of Us,” recounts the director.

What followed was a smooth ride as lead actors Shefali Shah, Jaideep Ahlawat and Swanand Kirkire, dialogue writers Varun Grover and Shoaib Nazeer came on board quickly, and the film was ready to roll in three months. It reminded Arun that when a movie is destined to be made, things fall in place.

“When I sent the first draft of the screenplay to Shefali, she replied, ‘I am on.’ After I sent the dialogue draft to Jaideep, he video-called me and said, ‘This is so beautiful. I am doing it.’”

Arun is aware that things are usually harder than this. After all, it took him eight years to get his second feature film as a director, even though his debut feature Killa (2015) earned a National Film Award. But he agrees that the stupendous success of Paatal Lok has given him an impetus. Now, as he presents an unrequited love story with Three Of Us, the director wants to bring forth the lost magic of films rooted in simplicity.

“I miss those times when Hrishikesh Mukherjee films were mainstream. We have grown up watching films by him, Sai Paranjpye, Basu Chatterjee and Gulzar saab. Such stories are gone. So, this is my attempt to get that genre back to the mainstream.”

The team of Kaun Banega Crorepati (KBC) wanted to run a special episode to mark the festival of Navratri that began yesterday. Considering the festival is observed in honour of goddess Durga, it is only fitting that host Amitabh Bachchan and the team decided to celebrate woman power on the occasion by roping in social worker Hare Ram Pandey, and actor Shefali Shah, known for her author-backed roles.

Pandey runs his not-for-profit organisation Narayan Seva Ashram that rescues abandoned girls and works towards rehabilitating them. The idea is to build a secure future for them by educating them.

A source says, “He began his journey by setting up small camps in Deoghar, Jharkhand. Today, he is a father [figure] to 35 [girls in his NGO]. In the episode, he narrated various heartfelt incidents from his life and fondly spoke about his adopted daughter, Taapsee.”

Bachchan and Shah go back a long way, having worked together in Waqt: The Race Against Time (2005). In the episode, the megastar-host also revealed that he has been addressing her as ‘Malkinji’ since then.

Bachchan said, “The way she was on the sets of the film [directed by husband Vipul Shah], I learnt who is the malkin of the house! She was in control and provided instructions wherever necessary. I thought she was zabardast!”

Shefali Shah talks about her character in Delhi Crime, Vartika Chaturvedi, as if she’s a real person. She admits that she is obsessed with Vartika, possessive about her, and genuinely believes that such a character comes only once in a lifetime. She says that the character brought her recognition and appreciation – from viewers, police officers and IPS aspirants alike. Now, she has been nominated for the International Emmy Awards for Best Performance by an Actress category for her role in Delhi Crime Season 2. In a chat with us, she decodes her favourite character that brought her the Emmy nod.

Shefali says that she has been bowled over by the appreciation her character in the series has received. Recalling an incident, she shares, “When I was shooting and was in uniform, many times I would get saluted because they didn’t know I was an actor and not a cop.”

She continues, “I was at an event somewhere outside Baroda, and the Commissioner of Police was there, who said, ‘Thank you for portraying cops the way you did because we have our own troubles and fights.’ It’s really amazing how the series touched people’s lives. I received messages, ‘I took the IPS exam and failed, but after watching Delhi Crime, I’m reappearing for it. I want to be like Vartika.’ I’m honoured.”

In an earlier interview, Shefali had said, “Vartika will be with me even when I’m old. She changed my life. What she and Delhi Crime did to my career, all these years of work had not.”

Elaborating on this, she says, “I have received appreciation, but that was not translating into the kind of work I wanted to do. Also, in films, there are heroes, heroines, and villains; they don’t know what to do with the other actors. And this was an amazing opportunity. This was a real incident (Delhi Crime Season 1 is based on the Nirbhaya case) that was very painful; a story that had to be told. And there was a director (Richie Mehta) who wanted to tell this story. This role really changed my life.”

She continues, “It was after this role that I started getting primary and central characters. Also, my way of working changed when I started working in Delhi Crime. This character really changed a lot of things. It was all thanks to Delhi Crime. It has taken me a lifetime to reach here.”

The actress says, “When I start working on a project, it’s like my first day of shooting when I started years ago. The need to excel, the urge to give it my all, hard work, passion, blood and sweat, that still exists. I never take any of it for granted. For me, every project and every time I go in front of the camera, it’s like the first day I’m doing it and I don’t know how to do it. I think the day I will know how to do it, that would be my downfall. It helps me to learn every day.”

Who does Shefali think Vartika Chaturvedi is? “Wow. (Pause) I think she is somebody who is ruthlessly honest. She is very critical, pragmatic. Even if she is burdened with her emotions, she knows how to do her job and not let emotions override what is required of her. I don’t think she is worried or scared about anything. In season 1, she is a hero; in season 2, she became human. She falters. When she falters, she has the sense to apologize. Her biggest strength is her vulnerability. She does break down, but she chooses to set her emotions aside and do her job. She has so many layers. You see a cop as a hero and you see a cop as a villain (on screen). But Vartika is very real. There is no caricature, there is no larger-than-life persona… People compare other characters with Vartika, but they don’t compare Vartika with anyone. I think that’s great. She has her own identity.”

-------------------------------------

Actor Shefali Shah received an International Emmy nomination earlier this week. She will be contending for the Best Performance by an Actress award for her role in the second season of the web series Delhi Crime. Shah shares that she was in disbelief at first upon learning the nomination: “I couldn’t believe it. I went, ‘Are you serious?’”

Shah, who portrayed the character of tough cop Vartika Chaturvedi in both seasons, goes on to express her deep attachment to the series, stating: “I am very possessive about this show. Whether it’s creative satisfaction or love, this show keeps giving (back).”

With a string of successful projects in the recent past, such as Darlings (2022) and Human, to her credit, the 50-year-old seems to have hit a purple patch in her career. “I am happy that all the hard work and waiting I put in for years is paying off. But I am hoping I can cover more heights,” she says, adding, “This is just the beginning.”

On whether this global recognition will translate into more opportunities in India, Shah says, “I will be able to answer that question better if, after a couple of days, I am flooded with amazing offers.”

One assumed that Shefali Shah would’ve scheduled a party after hearing of her International Emmy nomination in the Best Actress category. But when we call the actor, she says a party is not in order. Instead, she intends to sink into her couch and read a book.

“For me, any kind of achievement is short-lived. Within minutes, I was back to reality,” she smiles. Reality is sweet when you’ve been recognised globally for a compelling performance in the second season of Delhi Crime. “The fact that I’m nominated is an honour. My mind doesn’t go to the [possibility of a] win. I don’t want to take away from today for something I may or may not have.”

In 2020, the opening season of Delhi Crime was adjudged the Best Drama Series at the International Emmys. Three years on, Shah views her nomination as her character Vartika’s moment.

“She isn’t a caricature of a cop. Delhi Crime highlights pressing social issues. [I remember] I slept till 2 pm the day the second season dropped. Since the first season had [attained] so much success, I was scared. But when I woke up that afternoon, I cried with joy [on seeing the reviews].”

With the second edition, director Tanuj Chopra delved into how society pushes the marginalised against the wall. Tell Shah that the nomination raises the expectations around the next season, and she states, “Tanuj said that now more people will watch the show, and expectations will be higher. I am pressured already. I never expected Vartika to be a hero. I have an imposter syndrome that made me feel Vartika was a fluke. But I have been working for so long and with every nomination, I think I couldn’t have fooled people all along!”

While Rocket Boys’ Jim Sarbh is a contender for the Best Actor award, Vir Das has earned a nomination in Best Comedy for Landing. Shah says the nominations highlight the diversity in the world of art.

“The world is becoming inclusive, and art [transcends] language. So, someone who doesn’t know our language has watched Vartika, like we watched Narcos in the original language.”

In a film about domestic violence, Darlings (2022) director Jasmeet K Reen snuck in a tender love story between Shefali Shah and Roshan Mathew’s characters. As the dark comedy completed a year of its release on August 5, Shah, looking back on the Alia Bhatt-starrer, says the romantic track took her by surprise.

“I didn’t see it coming at all. The romance was short and sweet, and was handled with the sensitivity it required. People wanted a spin-off of Shamshu and Zulfi [Shah and Mathew’s characters respectively],” smiles the actor.

Shah has been enjoying the golden period of her career since Delhi Crime streamed in 2019. After shouldering the acclaimed crime drama, the actor took on myriad roles—be it a lonely wife who finds love in Ajeeb Daastaans (2021), or a house-help determined to seek justice for her daughter in Jalsa (2022). But she laments that her softer side isn’t explored enough.

“I carry an image. Directors have said that I am intimidating and serious, assistant directors are instructed to speak to me only when spoken to. But a few hours down the line, they realise I am a different person altogether. [That’s why] I was excited when Darlings came my way. Playing a wacko like Shamshu was fun. I am hoping it showed directors that I am open to comedy.”

Currently, the actor is in discussion for four projects. And where does Delhi Crime 3 stand? “It’s in development. I am terrified of going in front of the camera as Vartika.”

Sometimes, we all require a nudge before we follow our heart. Genelia Deshmukh remembers being fairly certain that she wanted to be a part of Trial Period when she finished reading the script. But that nudge to follow her instinct and make her digital debut with the film came from actor-husband Riteish Deshmukh. “Riteish played a big role in my signing the project,” shares the actor.

“We often discuss our scripts, and are each other’s bouncing boards. After I read Trial Period, the next person I gave the script to was Riteish. He has a better sense of scripts than I do.  Now that he is a director, I see a totally different side to him. We both saw Trial Period as a sweet family film.”

Aleya Sen’s directorial venture has Genelia playing a single mother who gives in to her son’s demand and brings him a father, essayed by Manav Kaul, on a 30-day trial period. One of the reasons the Jio Cinema offering is special to her is that her sons, Riaan and Rahyl, loved it.

“My boys hardly see any of our films. But since Trial Period was an OTT release, it was a nice experience watching it at home with my family,” she smiles.

Last year, Genelia returned to the movies after a decade-long break with the Marathi blockbuster, Ved. Now, the actor is looking forward to doing more projects. To her, the medium is secondary; what matters is the story.

“Having played bubbly, girl-next-door roles, now I am keen to do something darker and stronger, like Gone Girl [2014]. When I was on a break, one of the series I loved was Delhi Crime. It made me want to come back to acting because it had an amazing character [leading it], and Shefali Shah carried it on her shoulders.”

Is another collaboration with Riteish on the cards, after Ved? The two are quite popular on Instagram, thanks to their quirky reels. Genelia reveals that they have been offered quite a few projects, owing to their reels.

“Many [filmmakers and creators] have been offering us rom-coms, situational comedies and the chance to host our own shows. If something has to shape up, we’d be happy to be part of it.”

Lyricist Swanand Kirkire grew up in a musical family, with his parents always teaching him the importance of leading a good life. “But, I was more interested in theatre than music. Before I learnt about the National School of Drama, I would offer a helping hand to the local theatres in Indore,” says Kirkire, who subsequently arrived in Mumbai to write for a TV serial named Swaraj, and work as filmmaker Sudhir Mishra’s assistant.

It is perhaps this amalgamation of the craft he pursued and the one his family exposed him to, which enables Kirkire to don several hats at once. His upcoming slate of projects is only testimony to this fact. “I’m [acting] in a film with Jaideep Ahlawat and Shefali Shah. It is called Three Of Us. We still don’t know whether it will be released on OTT or in theatres. It was a pleasure to work with director Avinash Arun, who has received much love for his previous works like Pataal Lok, Drishyam and Masaan.”

Artistes across the industry have attempted to distinguish between the demands of cinematic projects and web offerings, but Kirkire believes such segregations are inessential. “I don’t think that the audience has been segregated. Earlier, there were two sources of entertainment  — TV and theatrical films. Now, with the addition of OTT, there are three. This platform has attracted many people, but the TV circuit will always be a beneficial market as it is vast in nature. Every platform is equally important to us. When it comes to revenue, cinema is a direct medium — a film is either a hit or a flop. But, on the web, it’s tough to decipher if a film is a hit or a flop. The generation of revenue is also not linear. So, for an artiste, the [medium via which] revenue is direct, is good. Gradually, people are trying to learn the tropes required to succeed in each platform. The main motive is to entertain, that’s it.”

Up next for him is a musical with Ankur Tewari. He lights up while discussing the project, stating, “Ankur and I had a terrific time working on that show. It will be released soon, and I’m sure people will love it. Apart from this, I will also release an album with different composers. I have created a band with two young musicians named Shrey Gupta and Harshit Mishra.”

Jaideep Ahlawat, Shefali Shah, and Swanand Kirkire

Shefali Shah took to Instagram recently to share a long post about being judged for her looks, along with a photo of her napping on a plane. The actor said that an air hostess told her that she couldn’t identify her: “...She left me smiling to return yet again. This time to say - ‘me and the other crew didn’t even recognize you. You look so different than you do on screen, but love your work’. smiled and left (sic).”

The 49-year-old added, “The ‘But’ planted a seed of doubt. Don’t know if what I saw in her eyes was appreciation, compassion, or sympathy. She almost seemed sorry for me. Not saying but meaning ‘Must be so deceiving and disappointing to look like someone and be appreciated for it but then in life waking up with your real self’ (sic).”

The Delhi Crime actor added that this wasn’t the first time someone spoke about her looks: “This isn’t the worst that has been said to me. Some people have been judgmental and even reprimanding like I broke their trust for looking like myself. Like I’d cheated. A product bought online. Ordered something else got something else (sic).”

She went on to recall “the most epic one was years ago” and said, “One person said, ‘TV pe toh achi lagti hai’. I wasn’t angry I was just amused at this ridiculous lack of decency… To just make it clear I don’t wake up perfect. I’m not a mannequin, nor a painting. I am REAL, as real as one can be (sic).”