Shefali Shah Instagram – I like to believe one of my biggest strengths is the ability to laugh at myself. It helps, I hurt no one, and I have proprietorship over my own foolery.
After much contemplation I’m sharing This embarrassing clip that was already doing the rounds, now I’m just owning it.
When I started acting, I had no clue what I was doing or why. But I had dreams. Dreams fuelled by what I saw on screen. Dreams woven by YRF, dreams of being that vision in white on a terrace full of rose petals.
I was smitten by this mega superstar. She was everything dreams are made of. She made us laugh,cry and she made us dream.
She was everything I aspired to be.
I was flattered When people said I looked like her and my self-esteem soared.
Naively, I believed all I had to do now was act like her. So I began copying her. And the more I did, the more people said I reminded them of her. That was a huge ego boost.
This clip is from somewhere in between trying to be her, and definitely not being myself.
But suddenly I realised I wasn’t a good mimic. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t be her. No one could.
So I dropped the act. And Along with it, I dropped the only crutch I had and I now had to stand on my own feet. I knew I had a 50% chance of succeeding if I was like her, and a 100% chance of failing if I was me.
Trying to be her gave me direction. Being myself felt like a UPS delivery with the wrong address.
I’m not going into what I did or how. Not because it’s a trade secret, but because I still don’t have the instruction manual.
As an actor, I was first taught, never turn your back to the audience or camera.
Well, I want to tell this girl I see on screen that it’s fine to turn away from the audience or the camera.Everything does not have to be about your face. Look at the person you are talking to(not into oblivion). Listen(in a scene and in life) Lower your pitch you are talking to a person not a whale.
And you have the privilege of a camera that catches the smallest nuances so don’t move every muscle on your face, it’s your face not a dice you are rolling in your hand.
And most importantly, you may not be the best, but only YOU can be YOU. Own it.
#Throwback #owningit | Posted on 07/Apr/2025 18:41:36
