Top 50 Shefali Shah Quotes

OTT platforms have taken away the pressure that would plague films earlier… the pressure of box office, the number of screens it will be played in, what kind of stars it has or even the pressure of censorship… This is a really big deal.

Acting happened to me incidentally, I never planned.

Things are fair and unfair, whichever profession you take. Every profession cannot have a 100% rate of fairness.

The thing with this industry is, it’s in your face, it’s there. You are privy to whatever goes on, and somehow people have this sense of entitlement towards actors and filmmakers’ life. It’s like you don’t have any privacy, your life is out there for people to see.

Honestly, when I am filming for anything, I do it because I love it so much. And then whatever happens is fate.

I love my work way too much to just go into it as a 9 to 5 job.

My films are my choices and I am extremely proud to be associated with my projects.

Every family has its lot of compromises, weaknesses and strengths.

After ‘Waqt,’ I was terrified I’d be offered all the mummy roles.

I would have loved to play the role that Rani Mukherji did in ‘Black’ or Tabu’s in ‘The Namesake.’

Art has made me calmer and more content.

Once you are a mother, you are always a mother.

The industry is showing me respect as an actor.

I don’t have a sense of fear. If someone warns me saying you cannot do this, it is extremely difficult, I am capable of doing it.

I was lucky to get really good films, even though I don’t have 100 films in my resume.

There is no dearth of good work or wonderful roles.

Being an actress has the same requirements as being an actor, but it needs more. Fair, reed thin, tall, can lip-synch, can dance, can fight, ideally can act, has to be single all her life and most importantly, needs to be PG18 bracket.

What I do in films is really special work but it doesn’t happen everyday. On the other hand, art is completely my domain. It is my freedom of expression; I decide what I want to say, which satisfies and completes me.

I can never visualise what the final product will look like and where it’s going to go… that’s not why and how I pick what I want to do.

I am sure that I don’t want to do ‘age’ roles.

I have played quite a few roles almost double my age. I don’t regret those decisions and feel proud to have been part of ‘Gandhi My Father’ and ‘Waqt.’

For me, quality of role is important than the length of the role.

Most actors work on a scene, I try to find out who the character is. So when a scene or a moment comes, I react the way she would react.

The films that I have done are commendable.

I started painting incidentally, but it is just another form of expression. No one can stop me from what I do. When you are acting, you are given instructions by directors. This is completely my expression and my identity. No one can tamper with it.

With the digital space, you can see whatever you want in the confines of your home.

A woman’s physical body language and intelligence change as her age progresses.

I don’t know any other way of doing a show besides being completely consumed by it and the character.

Every family has chinks in their armour. I don’t know of any family that is perfect.

The basic thing you teach your children is to respect other people. It is not rocket science; it’s as simple as brushing your teeth.

It is a huge responsibility to make sure your son never ever treats anyone wrong.

I took up ‘Waqt’ and ‘Gandhi My Father’ because they were very too special to be missed.

I realise that there is a certain expectation from a ‘typical heroine’ in Bollywood. She is expected to be beautiful and have a toned body. And to achieve that, I have literally starved myself.

The fact that ‘Delhi Crime’ dropped on Netflix and 191 countries in one go, that reach is humungous.

I pick a film on the basis of the role and the director. I do whatever I believe in.

I don’t care for society.

For me personally, I feel that a film that doesn’t end with a happy ending has a far bigger reach. It lingers on far more. Unrequited love stories have much more impact on the audiences. If ‘Romeo and Juliet’ had been happily married and had kids and dogs, I don’t think it would have been a classic.

When you are doing a real life story, it requires a lot of sensitivity, a lot of responsibility.

Every time I go in front of the camera, I have this fear of ‘Oh my God, how am I going to tackle this? The director is going to say ‘action’ and I’m going to just keep standing there; I won’t know what to do.’ That’s a constant fear I have as an actor.

I believe in love.

People connect me with intense roles and performances; a thinking actress who only does serious work.

I’m always getting into trouble because I’m not politically correct.

Doing ‘Kucch Luv Jaisaa’ was like a debut. There were never any apprehensions.

Filmmaking involves a lot of passion, hard work, thought process and money. But ‘Gandhi My Father’ is a selfless film, a film made with complete selflessness. We all went beyond ourselves.

Any artiste would die to be a part of a film like ‘Gandhi My Father.’ Director Feroz Abbas Khan had a very clear vision about what he wanted to make.

Women are like wine: strong, spirited, full bodied, intoxicating, and potent. And we never cease to surprise.

Certain things are very important for me while saying ‘yes’ to a script. One is obviously the role and its importance to the film. When I say this, I don’t mean the length. And last but not the least – the director.

As an actor, the joy lies in being able to play roles that you are not. If I get a chance to play a sofa or alien, I would love it.

It is not easy to make an ensemble film – if there is one person with the wrong attitude, you are jacked.

I behave instinctively and impulsively.