Shehnaaz Gill said that even actors feel vulnerable, yet they don’t show it. (Photo: Shehnaaz Gill, Instagram)
Just like many artists in the film industry, Shehnaaz Gill has experienced her fair share of highs and lows, navigating her own journey to reach the place she occupies today. For her, the roller-coaster ride of her career taught a crucial lesson: to keep working, stay positive, and never let anyone take advantage of your vulnerabilities. She opened up about this in a conversation with Zoom, where during a live audience interaction, one of her fans broke down while sharing her own struggles as a junior artist in the industry, facing repeated exploitation. Witnessing her tears, Shehnaaz tried both to console her and offer words of guidance. She revealed that she too cries at times, having faced similar hardships, but she chooses not to show her tears publicly.
Advising the fan, she said, “You need to become strong, stand up for yourself, and not worry about what the world thinks. These things happen to everyone. You are not alone in this world. If you look around, everyone has their own share of struggles. Yes, from the outside, people may be smiling, even us, actors, but inside, they are hurting, they are crying. They just don’t show it because their lives are public, and people will judge them. They will get trolled. But please, stay strong.”
She further added, “This world is kalyug. If you show your pain openly, people will try to take advantage of it. The world is full of such devils. If you don’t display your emotions and maintain a strong front, you will move forward. If you keep crying, people will notice your weakness and exploit it.” Recently, in a conversation with Faridoon Shahryar, Shehnaaz spoke about the ongoing struggle she faces despite her growing popularity and the difficulty in finding meaningful roles in Bollywood.
“I am not getting good stories, and I feel I am being used as a prop in films. I keep seeing the same kind of stories, nothing unique, no great messages. I was getting a lot of offers, but I wanted them to be worthwhile. I have been offered Punjabi films for the past five years, but I didn’t take them. I wanted someone to bet on me with a different concept. I wanted to make a comeback in the Punjabi industry in a different way, especially after returning after 3-4 years. I was waiting for that.”
She added, “I believe that if you are seen on screen even for two minutes, it should be impactful, but that wasn’t happening. I thought, why not do something in our own Punjabi industry where we can actually make a difference? Why are we just running behind Bollywood? I will work there someday, but first, I want to prove myself. I am giving auditions for Bollywood and doing my best, but proving myself as an actor first was very important. I am glad people are noticing that now.”