Assumed I took a break, but people I’ve gone jobless: Helly Shah

After working constantly for seven years, actor Helly Shah decided to take a break, and while she was enjoying the phase — a year-and-a-half that she was away from showbiz — she shares that many in the industry and even outside “wrongly assumed” that she was jobless. “After Devanshi wrapped up in September 2017, I took a break, and wanted this time to introspect and plan my next move. I also didn’t want to do similar kind of roles that were being offered. But then, some people were like, ‘Arrey iske paas kaam nahi hai, isko to kaam nahi milta’. It was so upsetting,” confesses the actor, adding, “At one point, my mother asked me why I wasn’t saying yes to the offers and shutting these people up.” Not one to blow her own trumpet, Shah stayed calm and decided to wait till Sufiyana Pyaar Mera happened in 2019. And then her ongoing show — a thriller — came her way. “The notion of being out of sight and out of mind is real, as people started to spread wrong information. There came a time when people actually thought I’ve become too pricey and choosey... Some even believed that I’ve left the industry. It does feel sad but I prefer to let my work talk, and thankfully it did,” adds Shah. During this break, shares the actor, it was the “love and support” from her fans that kept her going. However, she’s quick to add that she also had to face “some nasty trolling”. “Social media let you put forth your opinion, but people think they can say anything without realising how their words might affect someone. They don’t know where to draw the line,” she retorts.

PHOTO: INSTAGRAM/ HELLYSHAHOFFICIAL Shreya Mukherjee