One of the versatile actresses of the Hindi film industry, Shefali Shah has often proved her mettle with many memorable roles. Born in Mumbai to Sudhakar Shetty, a banker, and Shobha Shah, a homoeopathy doctor, Shefali was always interested in art. A trained Bharatanatyam dancer, Shefali loved singing and painting.
Shefali Shah’s acting career began with inter-college plays in Gujarati in the early 1990s. After appearing in a series of television shows, Shefali gained popularity when she replaced Seema Kapoor in the TV series, Hasratein in 1996. The show made Shefali a household name, and the actress called it a milestone in her career. In 1998, Shefali featured in a small role in the crime thriller, Satya. With films like Monsoon Wedding, Gandhi, My Father, The Last Lear, Dil Dhadakne Do, Jalsa, Darlings and many others, Shefali has been proving her acting prowess.
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Shefali has often broken stereotypes, be it her on-screen characters or her off-screen work, the actress never thinks twice before calling a spade a spade. In an interview with Pinkvilla, Shefali was once asked whether being opinionated has ever gone against her. Reacting to the same, the gorgeous actress stated:
“I’m picked on a lot by my family. The thing is, I’m very passionate, and that’ll come across in the way I have a conversation… On a certain level, maybe from your in-laws, but they belong to a different generation.”
In the same conversation, the actress recalled how she had experienced sexist remarks from her in-laws. Revealing how the actress was questioned when she was shooting continuously, Shefali stated:
“I remember, when Vipul goes to shoot, obviously nobody questions, but when I’m shooting continuously, it’s like, ‘Again you have to shoot?’ And I’m like, ‘Are you serious? Did I just get asked that question?’ Or, it’s like, ‘You’re shooting for so many hours?’ That’s how it works, how come that question is never asked to your son?”
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Not just this, the actress narrated another incident when her mother-in-law passed a sly remark when her husband, Vipul Amrutlal Shah helped her in the kitchen. Revealing her mum-in-law's remark, Shefali revealed:
“I remember, once, Vipul was doing the dishes. My mother-in-law was standing behind him, and none of us wanted her to do it. And I remember her saying, ‘Itna bada director bartan ghas raha hai.’ I thought it was so hilarious. And I’m thinking in my mind, ‘Actress bartan ghas rahi hai, yeh khayal kabhi nahi aayega’. He’s a big director, yes, but what does that have to do with the house? He’s a homemaker as much as I am.”
In a male-dominated industry, where male actors are called the superheroes of OTT, Shefali has firmly made her way to the top of the chart. From playing a fierce cop, 'DCP Vartika Chaturved' in Delhi Crime to a single mother, 'Shamsunissa Ansari' in Darlings, there is not a single role that Shefali has not aced.
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Although Shefali has been playing roles way ahead of her time, the actress has gone through some testing times in her personal life. Shefali married actor, Harsh Chhaya in 1997, and within a few months, their marriage turned sour. After staying together for four years, they parted ways in 2000. After her divorce from Harsh, Shefali found love in the arms of film producer, Vipul Amrutal Shah. The couple is blessed with two sons, Maurya and Aryaman.
Shefali Shah had a humble childhood, where she struggled a lot for a permanent address. In an interview with Mashable India, Shefali opened up about her childhood struggles and revealed that she belongs to a lower-middle-class family. The actress recalled she never had a permanent home and had to move places with her uncle and aunt until her father got a job at the Reserve Bank Of India. In the same conversation, Shefali added that she used to live in a Fisherman colony and revealed that the size of her room was four times that of a car.
Shefali Shah has been a recipient of many accolades. Apart from winning the Best Actress (Critics) category for her role in Satya, Shefali won the Best Actress Award for Gandhi, My Father at the Tokyo Film Festival. In 2009 at the National Film Awards, the actress was named the Best Supporting Actress for The Last Lear. Shefali has been nominated at the International Emmy Awards 2023 for Best Performance by an Actress for her performance in the Netflix drama series Delhi Crime 2.
From a failed marriage to facing sexism from her in-laws, Shefali has faced the trying times of her life and risen like a phoenix. With her zeal towards life and hard work, she turned herself into a fierce woman.
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