In this fantastic interview actress Shalini Pandey talk with Subhash K Jha about Arjun Reddy, her experience working on the Netflix show Dabba Cartel, and doing scenes with THE Shabana Azmi and what she has coming up next.
Firstly, that’s a lovely, rounded, thoughtful performance in Dabba Cartel; how did this interesting project come your way?
Excel reached out to my team, and when I heard that there was Shabana Azmi, of course, I had to say yes. There’s Excel, there’s Netflix, there’s a great package, and the ensemble is so lovely. Then I read the script and heard the narration, and I realised that Raji is such an enduring character. She has such a good arc, and I had to play it. So, it’s a great opportunity that came my way, and I’m very grateful for that.
Were you not intimidated by the prospect of working with these formidable actresses, and what was it like to actually work and interact with them?
No, I was very, very, very excited, actually, to work and meet these amazing women and people, especially Shabana Azmi. Because I think my mom has been the biggest fan of Shabana Azmi. I mean, she wished and hoped that I would work with her. So I was actually very excited when I got to know that I’d be sharing screen space with her. Also the opportunity to be working with such great actors. I think it’s just, you know, as an actor, I got really excited, and I was looking forward to the scenes and the shoot to begin.
So, to the second part of the question, it was lovely working with these actors because you get to learn so much. They’re all different people, and we had so many stories to exchange. I got to learn so much from Shabana ma’am, Jyotika, Nimisha, Anjali, and also male actors. Everyone in the cast is amazing. I wish I had more scenes with Gajraj sir or any scene with Gajraj sir. But yeah, I think it was lovely working with all these people.
Many of your sequences are with the performing juggernaut Shabana Azmi; what were your takeaways from associating with such an institution?
We all love Shabana Azmi, and we all admire her work. I have seen her work. I have loved her through my mum. I’ve seen her work. The first one that I saw of her was Makdee, and I was a huge, huge fan, but I think I fell in love with her when I met her and I got to work with her. And my biggest takeaway from her and from the show is that I’d like to, you know, when I grew up, I’d like to be like her, more like her, where the way she carries herself with so much grace and dignity and the way she uplifts younger women, the way she uplifted me, I think I’d like to be that. And that’s something. That’s the biggest takeaway I have taken from the show.
From Arjun Reddy to Dabba Cartel, how do you see your journey so far?
My journey has just been incredible. It has been a box of surprises. I just think I’ve grown as an actor. My journey has just been so different. I mean, each character has been so different and I am so fortunate that I got to work with such lovely and different directors in a young career like this. So, I’m also looking forward to where this journey takes me from here. And I think Dabba Cartel is such a special project. I think it’s going to do wonders for me, and I’m very hopeful about this show and the character.
In hindsight, how do you feel about your character tolerating so much toxicity in Arjun Reddy?
In hindsight, how do I see my character tolerating toxicity? I feel I play my character, and I do not judge it. I’m an actor, and I’m supposed to play different characters, and that’s what I thrive for. I played Preeti. It was my first film, and I’m only and only grateful for Preeti because it just changed my life, and that was my first step in the industry as an actor. I do not judge my characters because it’s a part that I’m playing.
What do we see you in next?
I have a few things going on, a lot of like scripts that I’m reading, some things that we’ve said yes to, but of course I cannot like announce it as of now. But very interesting and cool projects that I am very excited to be a part of and soon the announcements are going to be out and hopefully I get to play great characters.
