Shivaleeka Oberoi says she never met grandfather, producer Mahavir Oberoi: ‘My journey has been that of a complete outsider’

Shivaleeka Oberoi, who made her Bollywood debut with Yeh Saali Aashiqui final 12 months, considers herself an ‘outsider’ within the business. Though her grandfather, Mahavir Oberoi, was a producer within the 1960s, he died when her father was a teenager. “I have only heard stories about him producing a film from my parents, and that too, only after I ventured into acting,” she says, including that she has made it in movies completely on her personal, working her approach up from being an assistant director.

Currently, Shivaleeka is gearing up for the discharge of her second movie, Khuda Haafiz. The movie, which additionally stars Vidyut Jammwal, revolves round a man’s quest to seek out his spouse when she goes lacking below mysterious circumstances in a overseas land.

Excerpts from an interview:

Not many know that you signed Khuda Haafiz even earlier than Yeh Saali Aashiqui launched. How did that occur?

My debut movie was purported to launch in July and it acquired pushed to November, so I had eight to 10 months with nothing to do. I’m not somebody who can sit idle in any respect and I began auditioning once more. The casting for Khuda Haafiz was on and I went in for a temporary studying. I heard ‘based on true events’ and my character temporary, and I used to be bought. I auditioned for the movie and I gave a couple of look checks. Kumar (Mangat) ji, the producer, occurred to see my audition. I used to be referred to as to satisfy him and I used to be so stunned as a result of he confirmed immense religion in me, though he had not seen something of my first movie. It meant a lot. My notion utterly modified and I simply knew that this insider-outsider divide solely exists until the time your expertise speaks.

I gave a couple of extra look checks and I occurred to satisfy Faruk (Kabir, director) sir after that. He narrated your entire movie to me, I learn the script and I used to be actually blown away with the way in which it was written. A month later, they acquired again to me they usually instructed me that I’m doing this. I acquired to know simply 20 days earlier than I used to be purported to go and shoot. I had 20 days to organize so I mainly gave my life into this. It’s a big accountability and a lot of stress to crack a specific function that is predicated on a true story. Nargis is a character I relate to very effectively however she can also be fairly completely different. She is a quite simple girl-next-door who has never stepped out of Lucknow. For me, who has travelled your entire world and is so bubbly, I needed to utterly tone myself down.

Were you upset when Khuda Haafiz was snubbed by Disney+ Hotstar throughout the press convention to announce their line-up?

Vidyut had tweeted about it and I really occurred to learn it the identical morning. I noticed the line-up the evening earlier than and I positively felt ‘Why is Vidyut not a part of this?’ Because everybody was representing their very own movie. There was a little bit of disappointment, however on the finish of the day, the OTT platform did have a dialog with the crew. I don’t know what the dialog was, to be very trustworthy, however I’m simply comfortable that our movie is releasing. I all the time thought that I’d have at the least one launch a 12 months and fortuitously that is occurring though there may be a lockdown occurring. There’s nothing extra vital than the audiences deciding how your work is. This is the utmost attain that we will get, and on the finish of the day, that is for the very best.

Do you may have any regrets that Khuda Haafiz couldn’t launch in theatres?

Definitely, there may be, as a result of we form of envisioned it that approach. Throughout the filming, we stored occupied with how this shot goes to look on the large display and the way we will deal with this for the large display. The movie is made for the large display however figuring out that there isn’t a certainty about when the lockdown will finish, I’m comfortable that there’s a launch.

Your grandfather, Mahavir Oberoi, was a producer. Was it simpler to get into Bollywood, given that you had some form of connection?

Not in any respect, I’ve really never met my grandfather. He handed away when my dad was barely 17 years previous. I’ve solely heard tales about him producing a movie from my mother and father, and that too, solely after I ventured into performing. After I accomplished my commencement and I began giving auditions, that is when my mother and father really confirmed me a black-and-white poster of my dada’s movie Sheba and Hercules (1967). We had no connections within the business.

My dada should have had connections with actors and producers again then however then he handed away very early. It’s not like my dad had any connections, he constructed his life on his personal as a result of he misplaced his father at such an early age. My mother has been a trainer for 25 years and she has been the headmistress of a college. There is no person who has actually helped us in any approach. I’ve all the time instructed my mother that if I’ve to do something in phrases of performing, it’s going to be on the premise of the connections I make. My journey has been that of a complete outsider. I do know that it’s on me and it’s fairly tough to make it and even get your debut movie, however I really feel the arduous work pays off.

Also learn | Asha Negi reveals ‘real struggle’ after Pavitra Rishta: ‘I thought that maybe it is over for me’

With Sushant Singh Rajput’s dying, the insider-outsider debate has been reignited and it’s believed that these from movie households have an unfair edge over outsiders. Do you imagine that?

I really feel that whether or not you’re an outsider or an insider, there ought to be equal alternatives given to each. There ought to be an equal platform the place everybody can present their expertise and irrespective of the individual being an insider or outsider, they need to be given a specific movie based mostly on their expertise. We have fairly a few folks from exterior the business who’ve made it large, like Ayushmann Khurrana and Rajkummar Rao. Vidyut is a big inspiration and he has made no matter he has on his personal phrases. Then you may have Ranbir Kapoor, who’s tremendous gifted and an insider. I really feel that my journey has not been a straightforward one, being an outsider. The alternatives are lesser, recognition comes solely after you’re two-three movies previous. Those are the unfavorable factors of being an outsider however there are numerous constructive factors should you make it large. I concentrate on working arduous and I do know that what’s mine will come to me.

You have labored as an assistant director on Kick and Housefull 3. What did you study on the set?

Lots. I believe all the pieces that I’ve really discovered behind the digital camera has formed me to be what I’m right this moment. I really feel that I wouldn’t have been right here if I had not assisted on these movies. I never had a designated objective as an assistant director. I used to do all the pieces, from rehearsing strains to giving cues to giving the clap and calling the actors. So I’ve been in shut proximity with all of the actors on set. I’ve learnt so many issues that an actor does in entrance of the digital camera. Akshay (Kumar) sir is the very best instance of characterisation. No two movies or characters of his are the identical and that is the standard of an actor – versatility – that makes you within the business. There had been extra experiences that I learnt from, like, coming 10 minutes late on set can have an effect on all the pieces as a result of there are 300 folks engaged on a set. Salman (Khan) sir was very, very form. He didn’t know that I needed to behave until the previous few days of the shoot of Kick. I used to be fairly comfortable that I set to work with them and so early in life. I used to be barely 17 after I was an assistant director.

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