Why did ‘Nikamma’ actor Shilpa Shetty have to ‘drop’ her volleyball ‘coach’ teenage ambition?

By Chaitanya Padukone

Slim, svelte Bollywood versatile actress Shilpa Shetty (now in her mid-40s) still looks rejuvenated and only 36 plus “thanks to my yoga sessions “will be completing three decades of her acting career next year. It may be recalled that her debut movie box-office hit ‘Baazigar’ was released in 1993. But she still gets the nervous jitters on the first day of her shoot. Justifies the frank-natured ‘Dhadkan’ actress “That could be because I was back shooting for movies after a hiatus of 14 long years. My co-star Abhimanyu Dassani, although a newcomer, is a brilliant actor who made me quite nervous. Although I had given my ‘best shots’ all thru, I was anxiously gulping, while watching myself at a recent sneak-preview of ‘Nikamma’, “laughs fitness-freak Shilpa who is currently on a hectic “very-demanding” promotional spree for her upcoming film Nikamma. In which she plays a multiple-avatar-multi-layered character called Avni blessed with superpowers.  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.

Shilpa Shetty with Abhimanyu and Shirley

The bubbly Shilpa is known for her resilience, and 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, and 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 has she ever given a blank call the actress smiled and agreed to say, “Yes! I have, and also received many blank calls” followed by a hearty laugh.

Shilpa Shetty with Sr. film journalist Chaitanya Padukone

Also read: Sushant Singh Rajput was a very soft-spoken and unassuming actor and a very rare commodity in the film industry

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

The 47-year-old style-icon opened up about how her original dream ambition went for an upset-toss. On being asked, if she was ever called ‘nikamma’ by her parents, the ‘Main Khiladi-Tu Anari’ actor said, “It happened to me when my mom saw my prelims report just before my SSC examination. I had scored some 48 percent, which was disgraceful. I was a volleyball player. I was more into extracurricular activities and I was selected for the Bombay zone as a volleyball player. But when my mom saw my result she bawled for the first time. She said you’re going to be absolutely useless, worthless, and nikammi.”

Shilpa Shetty with mother Sunanda Shetty

Shilpa also candidly shared her reaction to her mom’s outburst. She said, “My aim in life at that time was to become a ‘volleyball coach’ so I felt my life was set. But later, when I realized my mom was upset with my scores and me being a nikammi, I studied well for 10 days and scored a decent percentage.” All was well for Shilpa then as her mother felt relieved.

Apart from ‘Nikamma’, she is also a part of Rohit Shetty’s cop-universe as she will be seen in a web series centered around the Indian Police Force, co-starring Sidharth Malhotra, and Vivek Oberoi. It will premiere digitally, positively by this year-end.