India might have lost a potential engineer, but tellyland surely got one great actor in the form of Shivani Badoni, lead actor of SAB TV show, Bawale Utawale.
“Although I always wanted to act, my folks were a bit hesitant. It took me a while to convince them; and in between, I also opted for engineering.
“In my third year of engineering, I somehow convinced my parents to let me go to Mumbai, where I both studied and went for auditions. But when this show happened, I had to skip my fourth-year exams to follow my dreams. But yes, I hope to complete my academic course as and when I have time,” says this gal from Dehradhun.
Unlike other actors, she did not need to struggle much. “First I netted a role in the episodic, Pyaar Tune Kya Kiya, and then this show happened. I am very happy for it is no mean task to get a lead role, which does change the game for any actor.”
“The biggest high is that people notice you when you go out and ask for selfies. My folks are also very happy for me now. Having said that, success also raises the bar and you need to keep acing your game. And I am working doubly hard to not let anybody down.”
Here she admitted, “At first, I did find it difficult to get into the character, for Funty was so unlike me. I am very quiet, but post-marriage, she has opened up, standing up for whatever is wrong, just as I am. So now I am very comfortable.”
“The best part is that although we are a comic show, we are not slapstick, but situational. So we don’t laugh all the time, just that the plots make you laugh. I have got a chance to play all emotions, be it romance, tragedy apart from humor, so I regard this Director’s Kut set as a learning curve for me.”
“Another plus point for our show is that we all cast members (Paras Arora, Meena Mir, and Neelam Pathania) get along like a house on fire offset, and this translates into great on-screen chemistry as well.”
Talking about the title, she says, “It fits, for each and every character is not only crazy but also desperate for something (marriage, wife).”
Looking ahead, she would next want to try her hand at hardcore drama with lots of romance. “I would love to essay the forever crying bahu.” She would also be game for web series.
