Actor Shalini Pandey, who was last seen in Netflix's Dabba Cartel, is all set to make a comeback to Tamil cinema with Idli Kadai, 6 years after her last release in the language, Gorilla. In the Dhanush directorial, the actor is all set to be seen in the role of Meera.
Having starred in about 12 projects across eight years, Shalini Pandey has recalled how Arjun Reddy, the Sandeep Reddy Vanga directorial which stemmed into controversy for its take on patriarchy, brought the spotlight onto her and gave her the confidence needed for an actor.
In an interview with IANS, she said, “When Arjun Reddy was being made, we were all new. It was our first film, and we just wanted to do good work together. Once it was released and received so much love, more than feeling pressure, it gave me validation as an actor. I had been thinking for so long that I wanted to become an actor, and now suddenly I was getting the love for it. That validation was very important. At the time, I was so new that I didn’t even know how to take pressure. I was simply enjoying everything and hoping that the work I do in the future also continues to receive the same love. That was my focus during Arjun Reddy and after it.”
Shalini Pandey, who also featured in Hindi films like Maharaj and Jayeshbhai Jordaar, also explained how the film paved the way for better opportunities and gave her the readiness to pursue diverse roles. “As an actor, I feel very fortunate that my journey, touch wood, has been amazing in terms of learning curves. When I started, it was with Arjun Reddy. The people I worked with, the kind of film it was, and the people who stood by me in that film made the journey very special, especially because it was my first film.”
Further, she added about her journey so far, “Since my journey began with that project, everything has always felt very special to me. Thankfully, I have had the chance to act with very good actors and directors, which makes me feel truly blessed. All the projects I have done since then, touch wood, have also been with wonderful teams. I feel very lucky.”
Idli Kadai, Dhanush's fourth directorial, also stars Nithya Menen, Arun Vijay, Rajkiran, Sathyaraj, Samuthirakani and Geetha Kailasam, among others. The film is set to open in theatres on October 1.
