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Shalini Passi, who rose to fame after her appearance on Fabulous Lives of Bollywood Wives, has become a style icon and a favourite among viewers for her authenticity, charm, and unfiltered personality. Her innocence, elegance, and ability to say “no” gracefully made her stand out in a show full of glamour and drama. Even months after the series aired, she continues to be admired for her grounded persona and refreshing honesty. However, behind that confidence was once a woman struggling with self-doubt. In a recent conversation with Humans of Bombay, Shalini opened up about her insecurities, her struggle with confidence, and how she almost went under the knife because of them.
“Before signing the series and starting the shoot, I went through a phase where I wanted to be ‘cool’,” Shalini revealed. “I was very conscious and told myself, ‘Now that I’m going to face the camera, I can’t look like I’m from the Victorian era.’ Honestly, I even tried learning slang and speaking in a cool manner like everyone else.”
She went on to share that she had been taking English classes for years. “I have been learning English for eight years because I used to stammer and had trouble pronouncing tough words. So I thought it was high time I became ‘cool’ — but I just couldn’t.”
Her friends, too, doubted her ability to fit into the show. “When I signed the series, many of my friends called me and said, ‘Don’t do it, Shalini. You’re too simple, you’re not cut out for it.’ But now, they have all changed their minds,” she laughed.
Despite her calm composure on screen, Shalini confessed to deep-rooted insecurities about her appearance.
“I don’t smile too much because I feel my nose is too big,” she admitted. “Now, of course, I contour it. But for most of my life, I avoided smiling because I thought it made my nose look even bigger. For the longest time, I also believed my teeth looked too yellow because of my fair complexion. But now, I think it actually looks fine on camera.”
In the same conversation, Shalini shared how close she once came to getting plastic surgery—until a doctor’s words changed her perspective forever. “About 20 years ago, I went to a plastic surgeon in New York,” she recalled. “He looked at me and said, ‘I know why you’re here.’ I asked him, ‘Why?’ and he said, ‘Because of your nose.’ I told him he was right. Then he said, ‘Do you know your nose is probably your grandfather’s or your mother’s?’ I told him it was my grandfather’s. He said, ‘Your nose defines your character. I can fix it, but it will change your face — and then it won’t be your face.’”
“That conversation made me walk out of the clinic,” she said. “Ever since that day, I dropped the idea. Now, I proudly carry everything I have inherited from my family.”
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