Shalini Pandey on filming the intense 'Charan Seva' scene with Jaideep Ahlawat in Maharaj: 'As soon as I did it is when I realized it’s very awkward'

Shalini Pandey, who gained praise this year for her role as Kishori in the Junaid Khan-starrer Maharaj, recently opened up about the challenges she faced while filming the intense 'Charan Seva' scene in the movie.
In an interview with Bollywood Hungama, Shalini shared her experience working on the much-discussed scene with Jaideep Ahlawat, who played Maharaj Jadunath Brijratan in the film. She said, “Now that I think of it, nothing was going in my head. We had done a few scenes before that. I was trying to be true to my character. So, I don’t think I overthought it, to be honest."
Reflecting further, she added, “As soon as I did it is when I realized it’s very awkward. As soon as I took a break and I got out, I realized what the character went through. When I did it, it dawned on me like, ‘What had happened!’ And this was reality. This happened. It might be still happening somewhere. All of this just happened, and everything was really overwhelming. So, it took me time after that to process it. But before that, I think I was just doing it.”

The film Maharaj had a quiet release on Netflix early this year, amidst protests calling for a ban on the film. However, the Gujarat High Court allowed the release of the movie on June 21, 2024. The court lifted the stay on the film's release after reviewing it and finding nothing objectionable.
Shalini has an exciting lineup of projects ahead. She will be seen in Dabba Cartel and Bandwaale next year. Additionally, her film Idli Kadai is slated for a theatrical release on April 10, 2025.

Shalini Pandey made her acting debut with the highly successful Telugu film Arjun Reddy (2017), where she played the role of Preeti, the love interest of Vijay Deverakonda's character. Her performance in the film was widely praised, earning her a strong fan following and several awards.made her acting debut with the highly successful Telugu film Arjun Reddy (2017), where she played the role of Preeti, the love interest of Vijay Deverakonda's character. Her performance in the film was widely praised, earning her a strong fan following and several awards. In 2022, she made her Hindi film debut alongside Ranveer Singh in Jayeshbhai Jordaar.