Image instagrammed by Shalini. (Courtesy: ShaliniPandey)
Sandeep Reddy Vanga's Animal will release in theatres on December 1. The director had already faced criticism for portraying problematic masculinity and violence in his previous two films Arjun Reddy and Kabir Singh (the Hindi remake of Arjun Reddy). Shalini Pandey, who played the female lead in Arjun Reddy, shared her thoughts on the topics of misogyny, violence and backlash the film received back then. Shalini Pandey told News 18,"I was 21 when I signed the film. For me, it was bigger than anything else. I was acting in a film, being paid for it and it was my first step towards becoming an actor. It was like a dream. Nothing else mattered to me at that point."
Despite the film receiving flak on various occasions, Shalini Pandey said the film will always remain special to her. She said, "It gave me so much and I couldn't have imagined that. It's my baby. But I've no opinions on how people took it. We're all evolving. Everybody has their own opinion and has the right to speak about a film in the way they want to."
Shalini admitted the fact that she was young and naive while shooting for the film. "When we were shooting for the film, Sandeep (director), Vijay (Devarakonda) and I had so much fun. I was so young and naive at the point. The film and my character in it will always be very close to my heart. I'm not trying to defend the film here. In fact, I don't think I would want to put any opinion out there because it doesn't matter in any way."
Ranbir Kapoor and Rashmika Mandanna's Animal trailer opened to positive reviews. However, one scene didn't sit well with the Internet, making the discussion around "violence" relevant again. In the scene, Ranbir Kapoor can be seen grabbing Rashmika's neck in anger to silence her when she points out his "obsession" with his father.
Shalini Panday made her Bollywood debut with Yash Raj Films' Jayeshbhai Jordaar, co-starring Ranveer Singh in 2022. After her big debut, she shared a note, in which she wrote: "It's not everyday that you get a film like Jayeshbhai Jordaar as your big screen debut in Bollywood. It's not everyday that you get Ranveer Singh, a superstar and a super actor, as your co-star! So, I consider myself hugely fortunate that I have got this project from YRF as a launchpad! I'm still pinching myself! Working in a film like Jayeshbhai Jordaar is like being in an acting masterclass with Ranveer Singh! He is a giant of an actor and just being in his orbit, I have become a better performer. It was like enrolling into an acting school (and the best one at that). No wonder I call him guruji." Take a look at the post here:
Shalini Pandey made her acting debut with Sandeep Reddy Vanga's 2017 Telugu film Arjun Reddy, starring Vijay Deverakonda in the lead role. She also featured in the Tamil film 100% Kadhal and a couple of Telugu films including Mahanati, Iddari Lokam Okate, Nishabdham and 118, to name a few.