In the web series Human, successful surgeon Dr Gauri Nath, played by Shefali Shah, seeks pure love and loyalty from her four-legged friends. In real life too, the National Award-winning actor is equally attached to her two-year-old huskies. Shah's last outing as the very vulnerable Natasha in Ankahi, a part of the anthology Ajeeb Daastaans, earned her accolades from her fans, and now, she is back in the news for her spine-chilling performance in Human. Enacting the part of a top neurosurgeon, who reads and manipulates human minds and stops short at nothing to fulfil her ambitions, Shefali impresses the audience and the critics alike with her quietly intimidating portrayal of Dr Gauri Nath.
We speak with the talented artiste about the same and more.
Tell us how draining or challenging it was to play Dr Gauri Nath?
Gauri Nath is a kind of role that I never played before and she is the kind of person I never met or seen in real life. It was not easy to create Gauri since she came without an instruction booklet and was like a Pandora's Box. One was not sure what was going to happen next with her, Gauri is that unpredictable. Gauri was written like a lioness but I played her like Bambi. She has strength but she is also demure and delicate, it's a chance I took and it paid. My most identifiable feature as an actor is my voice but here, I talked in a very different voice, there's a lot of mystery attached to how she talks and moves.
You are going to be seen in the film Darlings in a wacky, wild and wicked character. How wacky are you as a person?
In real life, apart from my work, I am hardly a serious person. People have a sense of intimidation about me and I hear there are rules and regulations given to the entire team before I arrive on sets that I am a very serious person and I shouldn't be disturbed. But two hours into the shoot, people realise I am a goofball and as funny and normal as any other person. I am a very fun person and laugh the loudest at myself. There's nothing delicate and demure about my laughter, I actually guffaw and I talk rubbish and love enjoying every moment.
How was it working with Alia Bhatt in Darlings?
Oh, we had a fantastic time and wonderful chemistry and most of the time we laughed so much that the filmmaker had to cut takes. Alia is fun, hardworking, focussed, knows what she's doing and is a very giving actor. It's a treat working with her.
What are your upcoming projects?
Apart from Darlings, there's Anubhuti Kashyap's Doctor G, Suresh Triveni's Jalsa with Vidya Balan, Delhi Crime 2 and the film Three Of Us by Avinash Arun starring Jaideep Ahlawat and Swanand Kirkire.
Twitter: @sharmidas
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