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| Edited By: Chaya Unnikrishnan |Source: DNA |Updated: Oct 04, 2018, 06:15 AM IST
Shilpa Shetty Kundra may be missing from the silver screen, but the actress has constantly been reinventing herself — she was among the first ones to make the transition from films to television when she judged a dance show. Later, she participated and won Celebrity Big Brother. She has her YouTube channel through which she promotes healthy recipes, yoga and fitness.
Recently, the leggy actress ventured into radio and lent her voice for the part of Draupadi in Mahabharata. Now, she is hosting a dating show, Hear Me, Love Me. Here, Shilpa talks about embracing different mediums, and what will bring her back to the big screen.
(Laughs) Yes, I think digital is one of the most sought-after mediums. It is convenient to access, and you can watch it at your time. It’s the way forward — I have been watching a lot of web series. When I was approached to host Hear Me, Love Me, the concept appealed to me. I watched the original Israeli series and found it hugely entertaining. Also, the show caters to the millennials. So, I’m addressing a different set of audience.
It is a dating show — normally, it is always left to the boy to choose, but here the ball is in the girl’s court. And, as a host, I will be helping the woman find love. When you watch the show, you’ll see whatever I say is from my experience. I would be advising the girl as I would to my younger sister. Some of the girls who came on the show shocked me. They were clear about what they wanted from the guy. When I was dating many years ago, I had no such clarity. Here, the girls would come with a prototype, but on the show, they would go for somebody opposite of that! The show’s USP is that the woman doesn’t get to see the three guys, with whom she goes on a date. But they will see his world, the family and in the process, fall in love with what they are doing. By the end of it, she has to pick the guy on the basis of his personality after which, his face is revealed.
(Laughs) Unfortunately, no. I am not good at that.
The shoot for this was tedious. For a TV show, normally, we can shoot it at our own time, but here we had to film in 12 hours and there had to be a correlation between the studio and the three guys who were at different locations like Pune, Madh Island and Worli. Cameras were strapped to their chests and each of them had to get a stipulated time with the girl. We couldn’t lose light and a certain portion had to be shot at a particular time. I used to shoot for Super Dancer, get to a hotel, stay overnight and start shooting for Hear Me, Love Me in the morning.
Yes, we will be shooting from November end or December.
In my career span, I have never played a mythological character, so it was beautiful to essay Draupadi in Mahabharata. Normally, we get a script and breathe life into the character, but here, Draupadi is a larger-than-life character, something we have read and heard about since childhood. She was a strong, smart character. She was the chosen one by Krishna because he knew he had to bring his yug to an end, and he needed somebody who could be selfless and become his aid. Draupadi knew what was happening to her was unjust and blamed Krishna for it as she felt he could have avoided it. That’s when he tells her that in the course of history, every action creates a reaction and that she is born for a higher cause. And, she was the one who literally spearheaded the war.
Anurag is a dear friend of mine. Whatever he makes, it will be epic. It was great being a part of that anthology (Life In A...Metro), but I don’t know if I will really feature in the next one. He hasn’t spoken to me.
I’m already in the midst of doing really interesting stuff, and I’ll play it by the ear. But, yes, now I’m ready to read scripts. Also, a good director is a prerequisite for me to do a film. I need a director who will paint a character that I haven’t portrayed before, only that will interest me in making a comeback.
