Daijiworld Media Network - Mumbai

Mumbai, Nov 21: Fresh from the release of Delhi Crime Season 3, acclaimed actor Shefali Shah opened up about her journey—from playing a mother at 28 to leading one of India’s most celebrated international series, winning National Awards and earning Emmy nominations.

Shefali candidly reflected on her early choices, especially playing Akshay Kumar’s mother in Waqt despite being younger than him. “If I had to watch Waqt again now, I would die of embarrassment,” she laughed, acknowledging that she lacked the cinematic maturity she has today.

The turning point, she says, was Delhi Crime, which changed not just her career but her entire approach to acting. “My way of working changed drastically. It rewired my craft,” Shefali said.

After Waqt, she had decided never again to play a mother to someone older or barely younger. But Zoya Akhtar’s Dil Dhadakne Do changed that. Shefali recalled being unsure until a single line in the script convinced her: “She stuffs her face with cake.” “I had to do that role,” she smiled.

Shefali shared how emotional scenes today require no glycerine—her performances come from deep immersion. She traced the progression back to her TV days, when natural crying was rare. “Now, when I put glycerine after 15 takes, it doesn’t even work,” she joked.

Remembering her National Award-winning performance as Kasturba Gandhi in Gandhi, My Father, Shefali described shooting an emotional breakdown from 10 pm to 4 am. “I wanted to kill Feroz sir,” she laughed, “but he wanted me to reach that level of frustration.”

She also revealed that one of the most intense scenes she shot for Delhi Crime never made it to the final edit. “The heartbreak is—they didn’t even keep it,” she said.

From the fierce DCP Vartika Chaturvedi in Delhi Crime to redefining complex mother characters on screen, Shefali Shah’s journey continues to be driven by instinct, courage, and an ever-evolving craft.