‘I’m not a jobless actor’ -Shilpa Shetty

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Shruti

@shruti

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Posted: 18 years ago

'I'm not a jobless actor'

Shilpa Shetty says she hasn't got into television for lack of work in movies

SUBHASH K JHA

Shilpa Shetty is upset with recent reports that have said she doesn't have too much work on hand at the moment. It all started with Shilpa replacing Karisma Kapur as a judge on the dance show Jhalak Dikhla Jaa (JDJ). It was said that Karisma demanded a huge amount, as a result of which the deal fell through. Shilpa then stepped in settling for a much lower fee. This has deeply disturbed the Shetty girl. "I don't know why I am targeted," says Shilpa. "They called me a jobless actor, which I am not for sure. I currently have two major films on the floor. I know the truth about why I've stepped into Jhalak Dikhla Jaa and how much I've been paid. I see no reason to tomtom my career moves to people who are hell-bent on writing me off. If people see my debut on television as a stepdown, I can't help it. Let me remind them I'm not doing a soap." Incidentally Karisma Kapur, in the past, burnt her hands badly with the soap Karishma-A Miracle of Destiny. Says Shilpa, "I've been offered lots of television work before. So far I resisted the temptation because I didn't want anyone to say I was getting into television because I had no films on hand. It's another matter that even now I'm being subjected to barbs about being jobless! I can't run my career according to the bitching that happens. Right now I'm working on Anurag Basu's Metro where I've a role to die for. If I've chosen to cut down on films it's only because I can't do crappy parts at this stage of my career. I'd rather do a TV show where I get to be part of something I enjoy unconditionally, which is dancing. The best part of doing this show is that my colleagues are Farah Khan and Sanjay Leela Bhansali. I've never worked with either in any film. But I've always admired their work."
Talking about insecurities in the profession, Shilpa says, "I've been around long enough not to get insecure about less work now. I've seen so many girls come and go. By God's grace, I'm still around and in a position to do the kind of work that I really enjoy."