Exclusive! If I didn’t encash on the fame I got during Bigg Boss, I would like to do it now: Shilpa Shinde

Shilpa Shinde became popular as TV’s Bhabhiji when she acted in Bhabi Ji Ghar Par Hai! but a year later in 2016, she quit the show. She then participated in Bigg Boss 11 in 2017 and went on to win the reality show beating Hina Khan, who came second. And now she is all set to participate in Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa. Excerpts from am interview...

Shilpa is gearing up to participate in the dance reality show. She says, “I love dancing even though I haven’t learnt it professionally. I learnt a bit when I used to do South films many years ago, but this will be a new experience for me. I am scared and nervous.”

It’s going to be difficult, she knows, which is why she is bracing up for the challenge. “I feel that everything will be difficult for me in this show. Dance forms that are popular these days are very difficult I feel. I see young kids dancing so well on reality shows and often wonder how they do that. But I will learn with full honesty and I hope people don’t compare me with others. I will have my own journey in the show,” says the actress.

Shilpa has not been seen on the small screen post her victory on Bigg Boss 11. In recent years, most winners of the reality show have encashed on their win — they’ve either bagged good acting projects or done a number of collaborations on social media. They also go back to the Bigg Boss house as special guests. However, Shilpa has been missing from the scene. Ask her about this and she says, “After winning Bigg Boss, I had decided that I won’t work with people who want to work with me. They would want to work with me only because I was the winner of the show, but it has been a while since I did the show and now if someone wants to work with me, I am open to it."

She has been selective about the work she takes up. "I am very choosy when it comes to picking up projects. I have rejected a few in the past and then for a while I wasn’t offered anything. I did get a few offers during the pandemic, but there was a huge pay cut and I felt what I was being offered was too less. At least the role should be strong, but even that wasn’t the case," she shares.

Talking about not having made the best of her Bigg Boss victory, she says, “At that time, there wasn’t as much craze for social media as there is now. In fact, I wasn’t even on social media till I did the show. If I didn’t encash on the fame I got during Bigg Boss, I would like to encash it now. I will try to be more active on social media and also do more work on TV. Whatever good work comes my way, I will take it up.”

Ask her why one has not seen her in Bigg Boss post her victory and she says, “That’s because I want to do different projects, I don’t want to repeat what I have already done. I may not go back there, but I have memories of the show which I cherish."