‘Perhaps, no other actress has done a role as multi-faceted as mine, in ‘Nikamma’,” enthuses Shilpa Shetty

With her fun-loving nature Bollywood actress Shilpa Shetty in real-life, is seen often smiling, laughing or giggling. Even on the sets of her TV dance reality-shows, where she is a mentor-judge, it is quite common for witty Shilpa to often burst into laughter - By Chaitanya Padukone

Which is why Shilpa considered her stern, rigid screen-character Avni in the movie ‘Nikamma’ a tough challenge. “Yes my screen-character has certain super-powers, she is sensitive amd emotional.

But my stern family-oriented, non-corrupt character Avni just doesn’t smile. Otherwise she is a lot like me in my real-life. For me, to control my urge to laugh and smile was most difficult, “ reveals slim Shilpa who also feels that participating in promotions of her movie ‘Nikamma’ is “quite tedious and demanding, because I have to speak about the film and my role hundreds of times in different ways.”

She emphasizes, “My role of Avni is multi-faceted with so many nuances. Perhaps no other Bollywood heroine or actress in the past has ever been seen in the kind of multi-avataar role, which I have played in ‘Nikamma’.

Movie Nikamma directed by Sabbir Khan, also stars Abhimanyu Dassani (senior actress Bhagyashree’s son) and Shirley Sethia, (from Auckland-New Zealand) the film is directed by Sabbir Khan and is slated to release on 17th June 2022
The zinda-dil Shilpa known for her resilience, also shared how things have changed over a period of time in the industry.

The ‘Dostana’ actress was asked about the difference she felt working back during the ‘90s and now with newcomers to which she came up with an interesting response.

Reacted madame Shetty, "The new age actors are different from who we were. Audiences have changed the way, the way we emote has changed, love stories have changed. Previously in the ‘90s we used to write letters and then make phone calls.

We would give blank calls. Now romantic songs have changed, everything is changing" Further, when asked if she has ever given a blank call the actress smiled and agreed saying, "Yes! I have, and also received many blank calls" followed by a hearty laugh.

The articulate Shilpa who is a fitness-guru and proficient yoga-practitioner explains the syndrome of a ‘nikamma’. Says Shilpa, “Quite often we observe that in so many families there may be one family member who is considered a ‘nikamma’.

But when there is a danger situation or crisis in the family, the nikamma member always comes to the rescue of the family, “insists madame Shetty whose life-mantra is that “unless you go thru a down-low phase in life, you can never enjoy the high-rise elevation. Just the way it happens on a roller-coaster ride”.

The movie Nikamma is supposedly an official remake of the Telugu film MCA - Middle Class Abbayi (2017) which had actress Bhumika Chawla playing Shilpa’s Hindi-version character.