‘Today we are exposed to the point of being trolled,’ says Shilpa Shetty

On completing 30 years in the showbiz industry, Bollywood actress Shilpa Shetty has shared how the audience was different when she started her career, saying that today actors are exposed to the point of being trolled. The actress began her career with the 1993 thriller ‘Baazigar’ along side Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol.

Known for her diverse roles and impactful performances, Shilpa has a lot to be thankful for as she marks an illustrious three decades in the entertainment industry. Addressing the challenges of staying relevant, the actress acknowledged the evolving audience and the constant need to ‘please’ them in today’s digital era. “When I started out, the audience was different because the exposure was much less for us vis-a-vis the audience. Today, we are exposed to the point of being trolled,” said the ‘Indian’ actress.

Reflecting on the highs of her career, Shilpa recalled her journey from a small role in a platinum jubilee hit to becoming a mainstream heroine with ‘Dhadkan’ (2002). She reached the pinnacle of her popularity with iconic songs like ‘Chura Ke Dil Mera’ (‘Main Khiladi Tu Anari’, 1994) and ‘Main Aayi Hoon UP Bihar Lootne’ (‘Shool’, 1999). Her fame soared with films like ‘Big Brother’, ‘Life... In A Metro’, and ‘Phir Milenge’. “These have been major milestones in my career so far,” said Shilpa, acknowledging the diverse phases that shaped her remarkable journey in the film industry.

Speaking about her latest release — the comedy drama ‘Sukhee’ — Shilpa said: “We make a lot of movies and garner love and fan-following because of the characters. But the kind of appreciation I got for ‘Sukhee’ was something I’d not received in all these years.” Shilpa has also carved out a niche for herself in the hospitality industry with a chain of fine-dining restaurants in the country. On the work front, she next has an upcoming show ‘Indian Police Force’. The cop drama is directed by Rohit Shetty and stars Sidharth Malhotra, Shilpa and Vivek Oberoi. She also has the Kannada action movie ‘KD — The Devil’ directed by Prem.

The film stars Dhruva Sarja, V. Ravichandran, Reeshma Nanaiah and Sanjay Dutt in lead roles. The romantic drama Dhadkan (2000) marked a turning point in Shetty’s career. This was followed by roles in Indian (2001) and Rishtey (2002), which earned her a second Filmfare nomination for Best Supporting Actress. Shetty received praise for playing a woman suffering from AIDS in the social drama Phir Milenge (2004), which earned her a nomination for the Filmfare Award for Best Actress.

She subsequently appeared in the action thriller Dus (2005), the ensemble drama Life in a... Metro (2007), and the sports drama Apne (2007). She also received attention for the song “Shut Up & Bounce” in the film Dostana (2008). This was followed by a hiatus from acting. She returned in 2021 with the comedy Hungama 2.

Agencies