EXCLUSIVE: Shantanu Maheshwari on facing terrible rejections: They just called me to bash my performance

Shantanu Maheshwari made his Bollywood debut with Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s recently released movie, Gangubai Kathiawadi co-starring Alia Bhatt. The actor has been winning the hearts of the fans for his portrayal of Afsaan in the film.  Now, in an exclusive conversation with Bollywood Bubble, Shantanu opened up on facing terrible rejections from casting directors.

He said: “There was this one audition, during the initial stage of my career. They (casting directors) had just called me to bash my performance and I was going in that direction of being traumatized, where I was self-doubting myself. I was in my teenage years, trying to understand things and that time when they said that I felt like I don’t know acting and that’s why I am stuck. I started self-doubting. I shared it with my friends, but it’s embarrassing to share it at that age. It was my 5th-6th audition and I was already doing good in the serial (Dil Dosti Dance) so I shared that thought and my friends said: “It’s okay. In this industry you might have to go through these things, a lot of people are frustrated. Don’t worry about these things and just do your best” and this instruction just stayed with me.”

 

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Shantanu, on the other hand has been a part of shows like- Dil Dosti Dance, Girls on Top. He also emerged as the winner of Fear Factor: Khatron Ke Khiladi 8.

Meanwhile, Gangubai Kathiawadi also features Vijay Raaz, Indira Tiwari, Seema Pahwa, and Ajay Devgn. The film is loosely based on the true story of Gangubai Harjivandas, whose life was documented in the book Mafia Queens of Mumbai written by S. Hussain Zaidi.

Check out the full conversation:

ALSO READ: Gangubai Kathiawadi REVIEW: Alia Bhatt is magnificent and deliciously reckless as Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s heroine