"In honour killings there is no ease for girls"- Shalini

Shalini Chandran entered into the Tellyworld and captured hearts as Maithili in Kahaani Ghar Ghar Ki.
And today she is making the audience furious being Surbi, the victim of honour killings in Colors Rishton Se Badi Pratha.

Tellybuzz had a candid chat with Shalini on the show and asked her whether she had any trouble or bruises while shooting the torturous scenes. But the girl has something else to say.

Excerpts !!!

How has the experience been in Rishton Se Badi Pratha?
It has been an extraordinary experience till date where I am having a great time with friends and the actors.

 The present track has Abhay and Surbi hiding the news of miscarriage from family. What can viewers see next?
Till now the two people who are so much in love eloped and also got caught and beaten up so much that the unborn baby is so more. I think the further tracks will also have certain very intense and troublesome situation for the two.  
 
This is one show where honour killings are shown without any consideration for girls and boys, how has been the response from the public?
The response of the public depends on the place they belong to and their state of mind. People belonging to metros and cities will definitely be sympathetic towards the girl as well as the boy. At the same time if the viewers are from the rural background that are attached to their land and tradition, will definitely think it is right what has been shown so far. My friends are really concerned about the scenes I am doing and they do ask me whether I get hurt during the shots. They are really worried after all the gruesome scenes.   

There was a rumour that because of the intensity of the torture in the show, the show is asked to pull off; is it true?
As far as I am concerned I have not been informed any news of that sort and in fact the audience are really appreciating our work and the track. I think the channel can give more details on that.

While shooting for the show have you ever got hurt?
Never I got hurt when I am shooting because the actors are really caring and they know that it is just a show and not real.

There are so many people who are going through this pain from the family; did you ever feel that pain when you were shooting any scenes?
Because I come from a family wherein I am completely pampered and loved, it was a little difficult for me to transport myself to the skin of the character, but I have read about people who have gone through this pain. When I read the scene, I try to relate myself to them and then feel the pain in me.  

There were scenes shown when Surbhi was put in a wood cutting machine and was about to be cut off to death. How was it shooting for this sequence?
That scene was like another Final Destination movie for me as I was imagining the situation of a girl who must have really gone through that torture. It is even more painful when your dear ones are involved in it. In honour killings there are no bias towards a boy or even a girl. But the scene was aesthetically shot without any difficulty. 


Can you share your memorable moments from the show?
Shooting in Delhi has been beautiful because the initial bonding among the cast started from there and the response we got from the spectators was immense. I remember having school kids around us when we were shooting in Qutub Minar as they had come there as a school picnic. They started calling me Maithili and they knew Vishal from the days of Roadies and Splitzvilla. It was really overwhelming to see that you are being recognized by people.  

Do you think Pratha would have gotten better ratings if it was placed at a prime time slot?
I feel that being in the prime-time slot would definitely make a difference because when you have a good plot it is always an advantage.Here, in Mumbai, people are at home only after 8 and their leisure time starts after that unlike in places like Delhi where people are home by 6 because of the weather. 

Your chemistry with Vishal Karwal is well accepted by the audience; how is it working with him?
Vishal is a great co-actor to have and we are compatible on the sets. There are no ego clashes or anything of that sort on the sets and its great fun to work with him.

How is your relation with the other co-actors in the show?
I am really very happy to be among the cast of Pratha as they all are really very good. I gelled along with everyone easily and we all used to sit and chat whenever we get time on the sets. I always look forward for the shoots and being on the sets every day. 

How is it working with Colors and Pearl Grey?
I have absolute respect for Pearl and she appreciates whenever I do well in the show. She has always believed in me and has supported me for which I am really grateful. Even being a producer, she always keeps in touch with the actors and is available when we need her. 
Colors' is also a great channel to work with as the content and the shows they make are really good. I am really thankful to them as they had the trust in me and believed that I could do the role. 

The show had a replacement of casts a lot number of times even after the promos hit the screens. Do you consider yourself that the show is now in your hold?
Yes of course and Pearl Grey has really a big hand in this as she had the trust in me and believed I could do the role of Surbi. 

You started off your career with Kahaani Ghar Ghar Ki; how has the journey been till date?
The journey had been great. Kahaani Ghar Ghar Ki helped me to grow as an actor and I had an amazing experience working with Sakshi Tanwar and Ekta Kapoor. The unit had auditioned a lot of people all over India for the character Maithili and they said they found her in Mumbai. Kahaani was a great learning experience for me. Even in Vivaah I had a wonderful time with all the actors.   

You have come after a long break; what are the changes that you felt in this break?
Everything has become organized and there is time for us now because otherwise acting too gets mechanical.  

Do you think Pratha is a good comeback vehicle for you? 
Absolutely and I am really happy that I am doing a daily soap because being an actor when you are not doing it you feel really bored.

Reporter and Author: Saranya Valsarajan