After Decades In Bollywood, Shefali Shah Is Finally Getting The Recognition She Deserves
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Shefali is an actress who gives each role she plays the respect it deserves. Despite working in Bollywood for over 20 years, it was only after she acted in Delhi Crime that general audiences finally noticed her. Shefali has come a long way since making her big-screen debut in Rangeela. She has won numerous awards and accolades, including a Filmfare Award, Screen Award, National Film Award, and many others. Shefali also acted in Satya, Gandhi, My Father, and Monsoon Wedding, which made her receive international acclaim. While she has played many fantastic roles, she has finally started to get leading roles on OTT platforms. So here’s how Shefali Shah is essaying brilliant and complicated characters and why we love her versatile acting:
Delhi Crime
In 2019, Shefali finally got to deliver one of OTT history’s best and most memorable performances. She got the chance to play the powerful Deputy Commissioner of the Delhi Police, DCP Vartika Chaturvedi. The series is loosely based around a violent assault that had occurred in New Delhi and how cops captured the disgusting criminals responsible for it. The show went on to win a coveted Emmy award for Best Drama series, making Shefali a hot commodity in Bollywood. People have finally discovered the potential of this talented and versatile actress.
Shefali, too, has admitted that she has received multiple offers and is finally getting the work that she had always wanted. In an interview with a leading daily, Shefali spoke about how she hopes that her career only grows forward from here. She added that since everything is in a state of uncertainty, she feels like nothing is costlier than life itself. She spoke about how when we get to the other side of the pandemic, she will see how things pan out.
Shefali also stated that although she does not have a very long resume of acting credits, she believes that she has a strong resume. She said that fortune has been kind to her and that she feels fortunate to be a part of such amazing shows and films. However, she also believes that this is the first time she feels proud of her work in her career of twenty years. Shefali said that her performances on OTT platforms were finally leading to her receiving more meaningful offers for employment. She also noted that both filmmakers and audiences have started accepting her in leading roles. This has made her feel absolutely confident in her ability to play central characters and become a lead performer in any project. Shefali adds that this feeling is absolutely incredible.
On Ajeeb Daastaans
Shefali was last seen on the Netflix anthology, Ajeeb Daastaans as the character of Natasha. In the short film, she plays the role of a mother and an art connoisseur. Her daughter is hard of hearing, and Natasha learns American sign language in order to communicate with her. While all may seem wonderful to the outside world, and she might live the life of an affluent homemaker, the reality is that she is trapped in an unhappy marriage, and her daughter is the only one keeping her from leaving. It is then that Manav Kaul’s Kabir walks into her life and alters its course.
Shefali spoke about how the role was extremely challenging to play as her sign language skills were not as impressive as Manav Kaul’s. However, this worked in her favor for the storyline as she is seen as being a rookie to the language and is often corrected by Kabir. Shefali had earlier revealed that she was terrified to play the role initially and requested that it end on Manav Kaul’s character rather than hers. We have to admit that she played the part incredibly well. We get so drawn into the complicated life of Natasha and Kabir that we are left in tears, just like their characters when the short film came to an end.
On the last heartbreaking scene in the show, Shefali said, “While shooting the last scene, in between takes, and even after finishing the shoot, I remember I went up to the makeup room, and I just couldn’t stop crying. The story was still playing in my mind. It broke my heart. It was like I felt I had said no to love”. Although Shefali Shah has had to struggle to get her name out there and find her own identity in an industry where people pay more attention to someone’s looks than actual skills, it’s lovely to see her getting the credit that she deserves.
We hope to see many more older talented actresses shine through and not just be restricted to playing motherly roles in the past. What’s funny is that Bollywood is an industry where a 50-something Shah Rukh Khan can romance a 20-something Anushka Sharma, but people are highly offended when the roles are reversed. Do let us know all of your thoughts on this article in the comment section below!
