2018 marks Bollywood diva, Shilpa Shetty’s, silver jubilee in the Bollywood film industry. She made her debut in 1993 with the hit film Baazigar alongside Shah Rukh Khan, in a two-heroine film, that also starred Kajol.
However, Shilpa says her career in films was never planned and everything was very incidental.
“I didn’t think I was going to make it (acting) a career. At 17, I was going from one agency to another to earn pocket money, as a model. I only got into that because someone suggested that since I am tall, I should try my hand at modelling. After getting a portfolio done and sending pictures to different agencies, I was offered a film. Though that film never saw the light of the day, somebody in that agency noticed me and introduced me to the producers of Baazigar, and the rest, like they say is history,” remarked the 43-year old while speaking to Hindustan Times.
In her earlier films, in the 90s, Shilpa was always seen as the glamourous star and that she says was a result of being a typecast.
“Back in the day, when somebody had a hit film, everybody would love to cast that one person only. I didn’t have to struggle to land films. It actually started mid-way towards my career. People started typecasting me in just glamorous roles. At that point, we were just like glamour dolls in movies, we were dedicated to doing that. After this, there was a lull in my career, but then Dhadkan (2000) happened, and my career revived. I have seen it all — the highs and the lows. But I never gave up,” she said.
Shilpa was last seen in 2007 in the family drama, Apne. When asked why she has been on such a long break, the actor commented, “I was busy with a lot of stuff. I have recently released my book, Diary of a Domestic Diva. I am also a wife and mother, which is a full-time job. I delivered my son Viaan in 2012, and I believe that the first five years were really important for him. If I wanted to work in films during that time, I would have to give at least 40-60 days for a film, which I didn’t want to.”
However, she recalled, “I miss it. I did television, so I am still there in people’s minds. I had to work just one-two days there, I could give the rest of my time to my son.”
When asked if there is a chance of a comeback, Shetty said, “I wish I could reveal, but I am bound by contract formalities and clauses. I do have something. I can’t announce it yet, it will come out very soon.”