I thought it was my life’s worst audition, says Shalini Pandey on Jayeshbhai Jordaar

While Jayeshbhai Jordaar (2022) is actor Ranveer Singh’s first film of the year, it also marks Shalini Pandey’s debut in the Hindi industry. She made her acting debut in the Vijay Deverakonda-starrer cult film Arjun Reddy (2017) and starred in the Zee5 digital film Bamfaad (2020) opposite Paresh Rawal's son Aditya.

Pandey, who wore a glittering green mini to the event, was constantly teased onstage by her more famous co-star, who asked the actress to share her journey to stardom with the audience.

The actress, who resembles Alia Bhatt quite a lot, revealed that she was scouted for the feature by casting director Shanoo Sharma when she was in a cafe.

“I thought it was my life’s worst audition,” she recalled. “Two days later, I got a call. 'Everybody loved you and they want to meet you. Maneesh Sharma wants to meet you'.”

Pandey was informed upfront that her character was that of a pregnant woman and she said she had no qualms taking up the role. “Without seeing my audition, [Sharma] was vouching for me,” she said. Only later did she find out that her co-star in the film was none other than Ranveer Singh.

Pressed by Ranveer to share how she came into films, Pandey told the story of how her father wanted her to become an engineer, but her heart wasn’t in it.

“My father wasn’t allowing me to go into films,” she said. “I had been trying to convince him for four years. So then I planned to run away. Now it’s something to laugh about, but back then it was very difficult for me.

“Thankfully, my parents are really proud of me now,” she added. “Because of Yash Raj, they feel I’m now doing credible work."

Jayeshbhai Jordaar, which also stars Boman Irani and Ratna Pathak Shah, is due to be released in theatres on 13 May.