JOIN USIn middle of her house work, she pauses to look at a collage, in her living room, of photographs of actresses who were fabulous dancers - Madhubala, Vyjayanthimala, Sri Devi and Madhuri included. “I want to emulate them on some level and wish to work with the art directors and technicians they had. I can only pray and hope to get such a chance,” says Pallavi Sharda who shot to fame with Abhinav Kashyap’s Besharam.
While “people thought that I could never dance,” this Indian from Australian proved them all wrong with her moves. A trained dancer in Bharatanatyam, she keeps going back to her dance like a “fighter goes back to the ring. My dance studio in Melbourne is somewhat like that. Since childhood, dance has stuck with me and stays with me as a very personal thing,” says Pallavi who admires the discipline that this art form teaches. “I would like to do something in dance but I am waiting for the right opportunity. I love doing Bollywood dance but I am also interested in experimental work outside film circuit!”
While the not-so-successful Besharam affected the director and others the most, it’s ripples did not leave Pallavi unaffected either, “People don’t jump at the idea of casting me now,” says the actress taking the film’s destiny as a “nice and grounding and humbling experience. The response towards a film does change you a lot but I look towards the bigger scheme of things,” she says with an optimistic approach.
“I have made the right choices and I am enjoying myself by getting to follow my passion. I don’t think I’m without skill or talent else why would I have got a chance to be part of critically acclaimed film like Dus Tola?” she questions and presses that what she needs the most at this hour is “Just to present myself in front of others. I am excited about the roles that I am getting and people are trying to understand me. Probably that is why I have been signed for Vibhu Puri’s period film Bombay Fairytale,” she shares hinting about her dream role which she bagged with her strategy of “Taking one film at a time.”
“I will be playing the love interest of Ayushmann Khurrana during the British Raj era. The film is based in Maharashtra and is Vibhu Puri’s first directorial venture. It is a good omen that Vibhu spotted me and had conviction in me. I too have worked very hard and people are realising it,” she says with bright hopes for future.
Spotted recently as a judge on Kingfisher Supermodels 2014, Pallavi who has been Miss India Australia previously says that “Winning the pageant had nothing to do with me entering Bollywood. In fact I started shooting for my first Bollywood film before being crowned but somehow people think it otherwise,” she rues adding, “Merit is merit. If you do well, whether you are from the industry or not, you will make a mark. But it is difficult to get opportunities since I am not from the industry,” she says packing her bags for another outdoor shoot.