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Shefali Shah on refusing Neerja and Kapoor & Sons, talks about OTT emergence: There isn't a shelf life for women

Shefali Shah has been a part of multiple projects and is well known for her roles in Delhi Crime and Darlings. 

Recently the actress shared about the films she refused which later turned to be super successful ventures. She also revealed of being unsure doing Dil Dhadakne Do. 

The actress went on a sabbatical from acting between 2005 and 2015. She was last seen in Waqt which released in 2005 and wasn’t on the screen till Zoya Akhtar’s Dil Dhadakne Do which released in 2015.

Shefali further talked about the emergency of OTT and how her notion of having a ‘shelf life’ in the career of a female actor dissolved.

The actress said, "Even when I got
'Dil Dhadakne Do', I actually wasn't sure I wanted to do it. It was again playing a mother to Ranveer and Priyanka who are younger to me but not much younger to me. I read the script and felt that Neelam Mehra was the second-best role in the film after the dog. I wanted to play Pluto, but I wasn't good-looking enough (laughs). They said just play Neelam Mehra. After the film, Javed (Akhtar) saab, Reema (Kagti) and Zoya (Akhtar) told me that it was the weakest written role on paper and I didn't see it like that."

She further added, "After that I got offered 'Neerja' and I got offered 'Kapoor & Sons'. I chose not to do these films. I declined both with lot of debate. But I just said if I do this then there is going to be no going back from here. I said I'll wait. I did not know what I was waiting for and then OTT happened which was wow. Then Richie Mehta happened and Delhi Crime happened and it was very reassuring to know therewas somebody who wanted to put me in the lead at 40, 42. That kind of made me believe there isn't a shelf life for women.”

The actress was last seen in Three of Us. (2023)

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