Shalini Chauhan: I am in a happy space right now

Actor Shalini Chauhan feels that faltering isn’t an option for Bollywood debutants from small towns.

“It’s difficult to understand the process, to find work, get a place to live and face the regular grind of auditions. I went back twice before eventually deciding that I must find a way and thankfully Mumbai’s theatre circuit was a bit welcoming for me,” says the actor.

Talking about her debut, she adds: “I got this project just like that. I had gone for an audition and met this coordinator who was present on the same premises as I was. Then he introduced me to filmmaker Neeraj (Pandey) sir. Though the meeting lasted for a few minutes, for the first time in all these years I felt there were opportunities waiting to happen for me too. He’s (Neeraj Pandey) is such a positive soul that he lifts your spirit just in one go. A year since our first meeting he remembered me for a role in Inspector Avinash.”

Chauhan adds that initially the fear of losing work made her anxious. “Once my name was announced and I signed the contract. All my part was planned to be shot in and around Lucknow whereas Randeep’s (Hooda) early days in the series were set in Mumbai. This made me worry and wondered ke mera shoot kyo nai ho raha, hata toh nai diya. Have they replaced me?”

“I used to call the team every day but all in vain. Even when I got my set of clothes for the role, I couldn’t let go of the anxiety in my head. Eventually when my shoot began, I became a bit confident,” she says.

On working with big names in the very first project, Chauhan says, “Of course it did give me jitters and I couldn’t afford to go wrong anywhere. I used to do thorough homework before the shoot every day. Working with Neeraj sir was a learning of a lifetime, but the real challenge was sharing screen with Randeep who is simply magical in front of camera.”

With the release of her project, Chauhan feels she is in a happy space. “For any newcomer his or her debut project is like a test. From getting the project, to shooting and eventually for it to get a proper release, all of it must be in place. With our series getting numbers, I feel I am at peace for now. And I can focus on my next project. That is a feature film titled Jaagir,” says the actor.