UNBREAKABLE: SHILPA SHETTY.

By Fuad Omar.

There are those in this world who are born survivors despite whatever obstacles life will throw their way. Some of these people are subjected to the worst kind of torture and still shine through unscathed and braver, sporting a smile which hides a million tears. It is these people who become pioneers in their fields, are strong in character and commonly mentioned as inspirations to many. On seeing the tall, wide eyed dazzling beauty you'd never guess it, but Shilpa Shetty is one of these people who has endured more than her fair share of bad experiences.

My first meeting with her is at one of her photoshoots with Subi Samuel where she courteously offers me a handshake and a smile, before allowing me to witness the dedication and hard work she puts in to all she does which make her one of today's leading actresses of Indian cinema. She gives her all to the shoot which ensues making suggestions, mesmerizing the camera and oozing with determination yet carrying off effortlessly some of the most intricate shots, given the attire she has been asked to wear. A few hours later after basking in the Shetty magic, I discover the person behind the concocted media image and am proud to present to you a no-holds-barred honest look at the real Shilpa Shetty. For those expecting someone even close to the person they've read about in filmi gossip magazines - prepare for disappointment.

I begin by asking about the first time she faced the camera as this is our first meeting and should begin at the beginning. She fixes me with her deep brown eyes as she speaks, and for those who have never had the pleasure of meeting Shilpa, I assure you she has eyes which beam like beacons of light, with every blink leaving you longing to drown deeper.

"I was modelling before I joined the film industry so I faced the camera before joining movies," she says confidently. "The first time I was modeling was for Limca so that was the first time I faced the camera. There's a lot of difference between the two mediums as with ad films the makers are extreme perfectionists, not to say that filmmakers aren't, but the emphasis is more on the product whereas in the film industry you are the product," she says with a laugh.

Shilpa has literally been used as a product because her star status has meant she is seen as a public commodity and the same way that a political campaigner would hark and rave about issues to do with the country, the film journalists choose to shout about her, but unfortunately not always in a fair manner as will be revealed.

Sipping once more from those intoxicating eyes, I ask her about the road which began with Baazigar and being a supporting actress, led to being a glamour girl at times when cinema was losing meaning to evolve into a fully fledged and appreciated actress with her most recent venture Dhadkan, where finally she was given the opportunity to realise her potential.
"It's been a rocky journey, but I've reached half way, better late than never. There's still a long way to go. I've been able to break the glamorous image people have labeled me with and am being taken more seriously now because I've been fortunate enough to work with Dharmesh Dharshan. The kind of films I'm doing now are definitely different and the emphasis is on giving good performance rather than looking good."

I sense a feel of discontentment as for anyone with talent who is not allowed to express it to its fullest, it must be frustrating to have to go through so many films and not be allowed scope to give a fully fledged acting role which showcases your abilities. She agrees, but justifies that in her case,
"I never thought I'd last out this long because I never thought I'd make this into a prospective career. I was offered my first film while I was studying and also working at the time and that was a condition my father put forward that if I was going to foray into films I wouldn't quit my studies. Somewhere along the line once the outdoors started it was difficult to keep up with the syllabus and so I spoke to Dad and said 'If I'm working let me put my heart and soul into this because this is what I really enjoy,' and he understood."

Shilpa is someone who has evolved on screen before our eyes. At a time when films with little substance were coming out, she took the bold step of appearing in good films with an item number where she'd only be on screen to perform a song. This admirable move worked and she remained in the public eye and the hunger to see her on screen for a full film grew resulting in a fan following which grows by the day. She describes the risky move she took by being associated with songs rather than movies.

"Some in the film industry thought it was a wrong move for me, but I only did one item song in Shool, and I've been very lucky with songs. Tarkieb and Jung just happened to have 'Dupatta ka Paloo' and 'Aila Re' which became very popular, and I had roles in those films too, they weren't just item numbers. These songs gained me popularity with children and it was a conscious move made by me as I thought I was out of people's minds and I did it and don't regret it." None of her fans regret it either as she's given some of the past few years' greatest musical hits which every filmgoer has danced to at some point or other. And as far as the suggestion that she could be out of people's minds anymore, the thought can be described as a now-near impossible task as her fan following proves.

Shilpa has a universal appeal which is missing in most of today's actresses. I remember reading an interview with legendary scriptwriter Salim Khan who said he could see Shilpa in the guise of Phoolan Devi as she has a powerful presence which cannot be ignored. Her appeal crosses over the generations and she also has a large following among the very young as well as teenagers and young adults.
"I believe the only way you can become really popular is with children. If they like you and love you, you know you'll be around for a while," she says with a spark in her eyes reflecting an obvious deep love for children. "Children loved me in Baazigar and the feedback I got thereafter was like people telling me that after seeing Chura Ke Dil Mera my daughter forced me to buy the same leopard print skirt you were wearing in the song. When I did Shool it was the way I raised my eyebrows, it's amazing how these little things go a long way! I really like being popular among children as opposed to being the sex symbol because children are so pure and innocent they just like you from the heart."

Asking her to pick any favourite films or roles she takes me on a ride through her career and in her case the standard line is true - it is too difficult to choose a favourite given each film for her has literally pushed her forward on to the next stage. She shows a true love for her art as she talks of the milestones in her career fondly.
"Each of my films is like my own babies, and I've learned so much from each one. Each experience has helped me evolve as an actress and I've learnt from both the good and bad ones. Baazigar was my introduction, Chura Ke Dil Mera was a milestone in my career and Shool was a good move for me. Jung was a film where the only thing people talked about of the film was my song and Dhadkan was like a new lease of life so it's very difficult to pick and choose any favourites, but it's definitely been a well travelled journey."

Dhadkan is like a new debut for Shilpa. When she arrived on the scene she was given a good supporting role but then Indian cinema went back to the time-tested formula of having male-oriented central characters leaving the actress in the film to merely add glamour to the movie. Her journey is certainly well travelled as finally she has been given a deserved opportunity, and this is only the beginning of her career as up until now she has only been allowed to survive. Survival is the key word judging by the media in India. Shilpa has been a victim of the gossip magazines and experienced a level of press attention which can only reaffirm her importance and the need for the media to rip apart those they see as good people.
"I've never been a media savvy or believed that any publicity is good publicity as the saying goes. I come from a very secure background and what really matters to me is my work and my family and not how good my PR is. Very recently I took a stand against Stardust," (a film magazine in India which nests neatly as a cross between the National Enquirer and the Sun), "because what their writing was really below the belt and sometimes silence is misunderstood and you have to draw the line. So I said if the truth is on my side I have to stand up and fight for it and the only way I could do this was in court, so we've managed to pass an injunction on a big publication like this which is the first time it's gotten this far. They took me for granted which is not a very good thing and before that I don't think anyone had written anything so nasty about me. But I guess it's all a part of life and somewhere I've learnt from this experience and they've also learnt a lesson."

There's a sense of sadness in her eyes, not belonging to the step she's taken but associated to the hurt she has endured because of the media who preyed on her like a pack of wolves and undeservedly maligned her character in a ruthless and unforgiving manner, peppering every story with the result of an overactive and vile imagination. I look into her eyes which shine like pools of light, every ripple being affected by the character assassination she has been subjected to and send a silent prayer for this charmingly sweet young woman and her family to be shielded from such inhuman atrocities hereafter.

Her fan following increases by the hour and it seems the media always chooses the most-loved celebrities to make their scapegoat, as proves the kind of fanmail she receives.
"A lot of children write into me and want to make me their sister or a part of their family," she begins as I smile wondering how anyone could resist making the ethereal and bubbly beauty a part of their lives, as her genuineness shines through in a world of false entities. Lost in her words, I gaze on as she continues.
"Girls write to me empathising with characters I play such as in Dhadkan because in India they would still give up their lovers for their parents because that's the way they've been brought up. I guess a lot of girls identified with that character and it made an impact."

Her fans hail her as a role model, so I have to ask who has inspired her the most, and her answer reveals an all Indian heart, filled with warmth and affection for those who have stood by her.
"It would have to be my family. I went through a low phase just before Dhadkan when there came a time when a certain producer even removed me from his film, and I felt like giving it all up and I asked my Mom why am I going through this, why am I putting up with it? There's no reason for me to take this and I didn't want all the pressure of trying to be someone else when I was happy being who I am. She saw what I went through and saw me through it saying 'After night there is always day, and this is only a passing phase and what happens is for the best because if you don't experience a low phase you won't value success'."

Words to the wise as nothing can truly be appreciated until one understands what it is like in its absence. I can only imagine what it would be like to have such a saviour at a time when all seemed lost. As she continues, my question is answered.
"She was so right, because when Dhadkan was released and went on to become a hit I really valued it. I never took things lightly because I've worked hard for every success I've got and for every film I've done. When Mom said that to me I joined the gym, I worked on my looks, my make up and my clothes. I searched for wherever there could've been anything lacking and tried my best at everything and it showed. I love changing my looks and try not to look the same in any two films or photos, and I think if it wasn't for my parents I would've given up long ago. They've always been there like a pillar of strength and support."

As she tells me all this my mind is cast back to when I first met her mother and how I still remember the hospitality and warmth with which she welcomed me, and if one thing I know for a fact and is reiterated by Shilpa's experience is that the Shettys are a very warm and loving family, close to each other in every way and supportive in all they do. One only needs to look at what Shilpa has been through to see her strength of character, to understand an ounce of her pain and talk to her to see the way her eyes glow whenever her mother is mentioned and the sincere heartfelt affection she has with the family she bonds with so very closely.

Before we end the interview she leaves me with more words from her experiences, hoping to provide encouragement for anyone who has dreamt a dream and wished it to come true. It is amazing to find someone so young and full of such experiences but I guess it's true what they say about a person is not as old as their age dictates, but as mature as experiences have taught them.
"If you have a dream, you can see it come true. All you have to is believe in it and work towards it. I'm living proof of it. I was really thin and gawky, never won any competitions in my school and wanted to do catwalk modeling. I went to a leading ramp choreographer when I was 17 and she told me I was too thin, too short and didn't know how to walk. A few years later Chura Ke Dil Mera became a rage and I was being introduced as the girl with the fabulous walk! It was really ironic as I was chief guest at a modeling function where that same choreographer was present and it was just proof that whatever you go through happens for the best, God had something better in store for me. Every incident that has occurred in my life, if God has taken away from me He's given back to me tenfold more. I want people to know and believe that if they don't have something today and they want it just work towards it, believe in God and it will happen. It will happen!"

She smiles as she gives me a quote which will give birth to a new generation of survivors and ambitious hard workers, and she proves the reason she is quoted by many as being someone who is a source of inspiration. Her words resonate with sincerity and her eyes penetrate deep as though she is talking to my soul, planting the seed of good wishes and positivity in me as a gift from her.

There are people on this earth who are born survivors and truly inspire. Today I not only got to meet the real Shilpa Shetty as opposed to the fabricated image created by media circles with vested interests, but also got to hear the story of a survivor. The highlight of our meeting was not witnessing the photoshoot or being with the brown-eyed beauty, but being able to sit and talk to someone who has made me feel...truly inspired.

Photographs: Subi Samuel