She wasn't seeking some real life inspirations for her future characters, her portrayal as Rajuben in a tele-film where she had convincingly portrayed and essayed the role which was inspired on the life of Mumbai's first real-life gangster woman Neeta Naik had already got her accolades for her performance.
A source close to Shilpa who had worked closely with her during the making of the tele-film confessed, ‘Shilpa is a kick -ass actress.
Anurag Kashyap was adamant that only she could do the role effectively, although Charudutt Acharya who wrote the screenplay for Rajuben had only her in mind while he was writing it. The manner in which she has balanced the different layers of performances is truly amazing'.
Elaborating extensively on Shukla's trip to Tihar jail, our source added, ‘it seems that initially Shilpa wasn't recognized at all since she was dressed in western attire and glares.
This was much before the elaborate check which takes place for any visitor who visits Tihar jail. Shilpa was her humble self, she willingly complied and didn't make any noise. It was only when the lady constable persisted that she should remove her glares that the cat was let out of the bag'.
What followed was a big time tehalka in Tihar jail. The jail superintendent was summoned, careless whispers about the
Chak de star making an entry spread like wild fire. Although the superintendent was slightly perturbed about the true
reason for Shilpa's visit, he hushed the actor into his personal chamber to avoid aggravating the situation.
Continued our source, ‘apparently, the senior jail staff brought to Shilpa's notice that the gangster Ashwini Naik (husband of Neeta Naik on whom the tele-film is based) had served part of his sentence in Tihar jail
. All the superintendents, police officers and the jailors had been personally following the tele-film while it was being telecast. Also since Shilpa's film Chak de was being shown on national network, they loved the fact that a Delhi ki beti had made it big in Bollywood'.
When Shilpa Shukla was contacted for confirmation, she was amazed that the news had caught on to us. Initially trying to shrug it off, she finally confirmed that ‘the visit did open my eyes. I was treated like a star.
All the police walas wanted to sip chai with me and click my pictures on their cell phones. I was even given an open-door, super- charged treatment by getting an insight into the workings and living conditions of the prisoners.
It is amazing
how human beings create life around them, whatever the situation is. There was a moment when I got tears in my eyes.
It was one of the prisoners across the bars who said to the lady visiting him ‘unko console kar de'.What also touched her the most was that all the prisoners had a common query, ‘Shahrukh sahib kaise hain'. Having worked closely with SRK, Shilpa feels that ‘Shahrukh has this abundant positive energy that infuses vociferously through every role he plays.
I have three releases lined up this year (a guest appearance in Chal Chalein, a lead role in Mumbai Mastkallandar and Vicky Chopra's Seasons Greetings) but it is the sheer charisma of being SRK (She has worked with him closely during Chak De) that even the Tihar inmates adore him'.
Must say, a true-to-life empathic experience for Shilpa Shukla. Meeting hardened criminals requires sheer grit and guts. Just like the epitomic and glorious manner in which she is carefully balancing her choice of film roles.
