Actor Shalini Pandey, who made a striking debut with a lead role in the 2017 Telugu film Arjun Reddy, has come back to Tamil cinema six years after the heist comedy Gorilla. Shalini plays a key role in Idli Kadai as the head of a Michelin restaurant, alongside writer-director-producer-actor Dhanush, Arun Vijay, and Sathyaraj, among others. Despite the long gap, Shalini did not feel any pressure about working in Tamil cinema again. In an exclusive conversation with CE, she shares, "I feel I am someone who is very fearless, and I do take a lot of pride in saying that. I wish to go to the set, take pleasure in my work, and return home to sleep peacefully at night. That is what my whole idea of working is."

Dhanush is the main factor in Shalini deciding to sign up for the film. "I have loved Dhanush sir's work and have seen many of his Hindi films. I have also watched Raayan, which I was quite impressed by," Shalini shares. She adds, "I was most excited that Dhanush was both directing and acting in the film. Then, he narrated the script to me, and it is also really lovely. It is a very beautiful, deeply rooted story."

Despite the rootedness, Shalini's character in the film is part of the glossy, highly competitive world of restaurant businesses. The film follows Dhanush's Murugan who goes away from the elite restaurant where he works to save his father's (Rajkiran) idli shop at his village. However, Shalini reveals that every character plays an important part in the story. "The plot revolves around the idli shop, but this is not the whole conversation point of the film. It is also a tale that explores different facets of human relationships," she says. Speaking further about her preparation for the role, the actor reveals, "My character hails from a rich family. She runs the show at her father's restaurant, and everyone works under her. So I just had to wear clothes appropriate for that setting, learn my lines and deliver them in a convincing way."

Working with an actor who is also the director of a film tends to bring a different dynamic for their co-stars, especially with regard to their rapport and understanding of characters. However, it can also be intimidating for some. Shalini has kept it simple by viewing Dhanush according to the roles he played at a time. "When he acts with me, he is just my co-star. On the other hand, when he directs me, I forget the actor in him."

Talking about how this dynamic affects her as an actor, Shalini explains, "This is my first time working with someone who is also directing with me. However, it is a plus point because then your director exactly knows what to give you. Because he is also an actor, he understands your needs as a co-star and whatever you require from him. When you are communicating with a director, sometimes they might not understand what you really mean. But if you are an actor, you understand exactly where I am coming from sometimes, which I felt happened with Dhanush. He has been in that position, having acted for so many years. Other than that, he is also a very empathetic actor."

Idli Kadai explores the correlation between traditional legacy and corporate ambition. The film's plot offers a battle of ideologies, with Arun Vijay's character representing the corporate side of it and Dhanush being the flagbearer of traditions. Speaking about where her character stands in the battle, Shalini says, "I do not even see films like that. Rather, I look at it as a collective effort. Whether I play a main character or not, the story has to work for me. This is how I also watch films as an audience member."

Besides Tamil, Shalini also has credits in Hindi, with a notable performance opposite Ranveer Singh in 2022's Jayeshbhai Jordaar. For many, acting is all about the process of finding the truth in a character, which can differ slightly from one industry to another. However, Shalini does not consider the language of a film while deciding on an offer to act in one. "It is the script first and then the people that I am working with. I understand that Indian cinema is a diverse industry, with films in Hindi, English, Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam, and Kannada, among others. However, I see language as a way of communicating and expressing. For me, if the story works, it works regardless of the language and the industry."

Shalini believes that she has already been able to nail the rooted aspect of a character hailing from a place that is not her native. "I have played a Gujarati girl in Jayeshbhai, which was my Hindi debut. Besides, Preeti was extremely culturally rooted," she shares, referring to her character in Arjun Reddy. "Preeti is a Mangalorean who speaks Tulu and is pretty culturally rooted," she adds.

Speaking of Arjun Reddy, there has been plenty of discourse around the political correctness of the film ever since its release, especially with regard to its portrayal of the romantic relationship between the titular protagonist (Vijay Deverakonda) and Shalini's character. Preeti is also a raw and intense character. Some might consider it a career risk to be part of such a project as their debut film, but Shalini never thought of it this way. "When Arjun Reddy came to me, I was fresh out of college and just wanted to be an actor. I was over the moon to play that character and be part of the film industry. Thankfully, the people that I worked with were lovely as well," she concludes.