Shalini Pandey became famous worldwide by playing the role of Arjun Reddy's girlfriend Preeti in the Telugu film 'Arjun Reddy'. Shalini Pandey has worked with Ranveer Singh in Yash Raj's 'Jayeshbhai Jordaar'. Shalini Pandey's younger sister Pooja Pandey also followed in her elder sister's footsteps and chose acting profession. Pooja Pandey has also worked in the film 'Kot' with Naseeruddin Shah's son Vivaan Shah and 'Siya' with Vineet Kumar Singh.
Recently, Pooja Pandey had a special conversation with Frontpage Insights. Pooja Pandey said that if her elder sister Shalini Pandey had not run away from home and come to Mumbai, it would not have been easy for her to enter the industry.
Read key excerpts from the conversation with Pooja Pandey…
Sister ran away from home, parents stopped talking Acting profession is still not considered good in middle class families. Pooja Pandey says- We are from a middle class family. Just dreaming about acting was a big deal. Dad wanted elder sister to become an engineer, but she was not interested in engineering. Dad was against her acting profession. The sister ran away from home and came to Mumbai. Relatives used to talk all kinds of things. The parents stopped talking to the sister. When Didi's film 'Arjun Reddy' released, parents felt that she was on the right track.
Both the sisters dreamed of becoming heroines together In childhood, both the sisters were obsessed with becoming heroines. Pooja Pandey says- I am very inspired by Sridevi, Madhuri Dixit and Tabu. I used to watch all his movies as a child. At that time I did not know what an actor was. Both of us sisters wanted to be heroines. Everyone has the right to dream. Both of us sisters used to act in front of the mirror. My elder sister worked as Kareena Kapoor and I worked as Karisma Kapoor.
Pooja Pandey-Shalini Pandey
Dad had one condition before doing theatre. Pooja Pandey's father Chandra Bhushan Pandey was an officer in the Gun Garage factory, where cannons are manufactured. Now he is retired. Pooja Pandey said – My father's friends used to run a theater group. When the elder sister expressed her desire to join the theatre, the father stipulated that her studies should not be disturbed. If I don't get good marks I will leave theatre. She used to get good marks because of that greed. When my sister joined theatre, I did too, but father did not put any such condition before me.
Learned classical dance from mother Pooja's mother Maya Pandey was a music professor before marriage. After marriage, she quit her job and taught dance and music to her children at home. Pooja Pandey says- I also learned classical dance. After coming to Mumbai, she went to Karnataka for a dance show.
A sister acts like a mother Pooja Pandey's sister got a big opportunity in South. Pooja says- My elder sister's entry in the industry made the way easier for me. The sister got work in the South film 'Arjun Reddy'. My family didn't mind when I came to Mumbai. I came at the end of 2017 and got my first film 'Coat' in 2018 itself. Sister got a lot of support in Mumbai. She treats me like a mother. Stayed with him for the first two years. While watching the movie 'Siya' I thought I want to live alone. After that I decided to stay apart.
There was a reason to leave my sister alone Pooja Pandey says- I saw my sister's journey. There have been many ups and downs in his life. I decided to be alone so that I could feel my responsibility. The sister separated, but wanted to strengthen her self-confidence by staying separate. But now we both live together.
Will be seen in the film 'The Bird' Pooja Pandey's web series 'Gutter Goo Season 2' has just released. Pooja says- My film 'The Bird' is coming in which I have a very mature character.
Image Credit: (Divya-Bhaskar): Images/graphics belong to (Divya-Bhaskar).
