Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s latest film ‘Gangubai Kathiawadi’ is going strong at the box office. The film is widely appreciated by fans as well as critics. While Alia Bhatt has totally nailed the character of Gangubai, other actors too, have beautifully played their part.
The film also introduced a fresh face. Popular dancer and host Shantanu Maheshwari made his big Bollywood debut with ‘Gangubai Kathiawadi’ as he can be seen playing the pivotal role of Afsaan.
Shantanu says that he feels blessed to make his Bollywood debut in Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s film. The actor, who hails from a non-filmy background, got the part based on his talent.
In an interview, Shantanu said, “I got the film through an audition process. When I got a call for the audition, there wasn’t much information available on the internet about the film. I was just told that it is an SLB film and Alia Bhatt is a part of it. I was just happy about the fact that I got a call for audition. They made it clear that they need a fresh face and Sanjay Sir wants to launch someone. Getting a call for the audition was a big thing for me. I thought that it might be a dance-related role and that’s why they have approached me. But when I was told more about the film and my role, I was happy that it has got nothing to do with dance. My selection was entirely upon acting. It just felt good that someone believed in me, in terms of acting ability.”
Talking about Sanjay Leela Bhansali, Shantanu said, “He is India’s best director. I got a chance to make my film debut with him, so it is a big achievement for me.”
Speaking on his family’s reaction, he said, “For a long time, I had not told my parents that I am a part of such a big film. And when I told them, I didn’t give many details about my character and my screen time. So, when they saw the film, they were too happy. They were overwhelmed to see my name on the big screen.”
Gangubai Kathiawadi was released in theatres on 25th February.
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