Shefali Shah has opened up about her decision to play Akshay Kumar’s mother in Waqt: The Race Against Time, revealing that her husband and the film’s director, Vipul Amrutlal Shah, had advised her against taking up the role. In an exclusive interview with Bollywood Hungama, the actor explained why she went ahead with the film despite his advice, adding that Amitabh Bachchan had recommended her for the part.
Reflecting on the decision, Shefali said, “In fact he (Vipul) had told me don't do it but Amitji (Amitabh Bachchan) recommended it. And also, I wanted to do it.” For Shefali, the choice was driven by her desire to explore different dimensions of acting rather than make decisions based on how a particular role might affect her career. She admitted that, at the time, she did not have a manager or anyone guiding her professionally and was primarily focused on becoming an actor and taking on characters unlike herself.
Explaining her thought process, she told Bollywood Hungama, “It wasn't about the mother's role. But I also wanted to be an actor. I had nobody guiding me. I didn't have a manager I didn't have a ambition which I've honestly mentioned in the book. I didn't have the logic of thinking through so much. I'm thinking I want to be an actor. The most brilliant thing I can do is be someone I'm not totally. You know, in stage, in look, in nature, so that is what is going to prove my metal as an actor. I didn't think once you're a mother, you're a mother forever.”
However, the decision also had professional consequences. Shefali revealed that she subsequently encountered a phase when she was predominantly offered maternal roles, some of which required her to portray mothers older than her actual age. While she clarified that she had no objection to playing a mother, she wanted the roles to be appropriate to her age and circumstances.
Recalling that phase, the actor said, “I did face that problem later that they wanted to offer me mother only, nothing else. I don't have a problem being a mother but give me a mother's role which is my children's age. Suddenly you're giving me (someone) older than me. But that I put myself in that situation. Because placement is a real thing.”
Her comments highlight the professional considerations that can accompany an actor’s casting choices, particularly when a prominent role begins to shape the kinds of parts they are offered. For Shefali, the decision to take on Waqt was rooted in her desire to challenge herself as a performer, even though it came with the possibility of being typecast.
Directed by Vipul Amrutlal Shah, Waqt: The Race Against Time was released in 2005 and featured Amitabh Bachchan and Akshay Kumar as a father and son. The family drama also starred Priyanka Chopra, with Shefali portraying Akshay’s on-screen mother. The film explored the relationship between a father and his son as the latter is forced to confront responsibility and maturity.
More Pages: Waqt - Race Against Time Box Office Collection
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