Stylistically simple8230;

quot;Not only is Dhadkan a film that means a lot to me, it will also decide a lot of things,quot; she says, revealing that she has virtually stopped taking on more work until the release of this new film, which she hopes will help her land more substantial parts. quot;It8217;s definitely my most concrete role so far,quot; she explains. quot;Earlier, people just wanted to see me dance, a skill they had acknowledged fairly soon in my career. And although I don8217;t find it degrading that I was dubbed a dancing star, that8217;s certainly not the only thing I want to be doing in movies,quot; she says.

For years, having played mostly glamorous parts, Shilpa says she8217;s glad she will finally be showing off a performance-based role to audiences. Insisting that she doesn8217;t in the least bit regret doing those item songs for films like Shool UP Bihar lootne, Jung Aaila re and Tarkieb Dupatte ka palloo, the lady with those never-ending legs says these songs helped bring her back in the news at a time when she was almost forgotten by the industry. quot;I catered to the masses with those songs, and that8217;s what I needed most at the time,quot; she says. quot;But with Dhadkan, hopefully we8217;re going to be catering to both the masses and the classes,quot; she says cheerfully.

Abandoning those sexy gowns and those backless cholis for simple pastel-coloured salwar-kameezes, Shilpa says she has waited seven long years for a role like this. But she8217;s careful not to knock those mindless films she8217;s been doing so far. quot;It8217;s very difficult to play a bimbetter over and over again,quot; she says. quot;It8217;s difficult because you have to convince yourself that you can carry off such senseless stuff without a flinch,quot; she explains. However, she is quick to add that her entire innings haven8217;t been uneventful. quot;I did do some interesting roles in such films as Aao Pyar Karen, Himmat, Pardesi Babu, Jaanwar and Jung, but nobody really remembers those roles because none of those films did well,quot; she says. Guessing that perhaps her image somewhere overpowered her, Shilpa says she8217;s not really a glamorous person in real life.

Admitting that she has undergone a metamorphosis in her look, Shilpa hopes her fans will appreciate the volte face in Dhadkan. quot;It8217;s not a frivolous love story,quot; she insists. quot;It8217;s a mature film about relationships.quot; Running a finger through her perfectly straight hair, the actress says this film is likely to put director Dharmesh Darshan back in the reckoning after his crash landing with Mela earlier this year. quot;That was not his kind of film,quot; she takes up for the film-maker. quot;Dhadkan is very much his style,quot; she offers instead.

For her own part, she says she is keen not to repeat her previous mistakes. quot;Nobody can claim to have made all the right decisions. A wise person is one who learns from his past errors,quot; she says, eager to add that she8217;d like to think she has smartened up. quot;I really want to do good work now, and I think a hundred times before I commit myself to doing anything these days.quot;

Just then, her cellphone rings. It8217;s sister Shamita on the other end, enquiring whether Didi has had her lunch. Giggling uncontrollably, Shilpa proceeds to narrate the comedy of errors that just took place over her meal. After about five minutes of incessant chatter, she hangs up. Diving almost immediately into a conversation about Shamita8217;s debut in Aditya Chopra8217;s Mohabbatein, Shilpa says she is very excited for her sibling. quot;Everytime she comes home from an outdoor shooting, I force her to sit down and tell me everything that she did,quot; Shilpa reveals animatedly. quot;I derive my pleasure from hearing about her experiences.quot;

Having directed almost all of her energies into this one film that she simply can8217;t wait for, Shilpa says she spends much of her time at home these days. quot;When at home, I8217;m either watching television, or cooking for the family,quot; she confesses. Sheepishly she reveals that she8217;s not half as good in the kitchen as her mum is. quot;But I can whip up a mean pasta,quot; she says, even as she stares blankly at the mostly uneaten penne that gets cold in her own plate.

Prod her to spill the beans on her love life, and she is both vague and disinterested. quot;I don8217;t think I want to get into a marriage before I8217;ve achieved my goal,quot; she says. quot;Right now the only thing that will make me very happy is if Dhadkan does well, and if I8217;m appreciated in the film.quot; Not particularly keen to discuss the story of the film, Shilpa does reveal however, that it8217;s the tale of a girl who has been in love, but is encouraged by her parents to marry another man. quot;It8217;s a very delicate subject, and nothing that I say about it, will help you understand the film unless you see it for yourself,quot; she says.

Making you promise that you won8217;t miss this film for anything in the world, she rises from her chair, gathers her things and readies to leave. Once again gaping into her unfinished lunch, she rubs her tummy, obviously still hungry, and swears she8217;s going to pig out as soon as she reaches home. quot;And this time I8217;m going to allow mum to cook me something,quot; she says. quot;I can8217;t afford to go through another disastruous cooking experience,quot; she adds, waving to you as she steps into her car and speeds off home-wards.