Shantanu Maheshwari is best known for being a fabulous dancer, having participated in several TV shows and also represented India at international competitions. While the breakthrough in his acting career was the immensely popular Channel V show Dil Dosti Dance, Shantanu took the big leap into Bollywood with Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s film Gangubai Kathiawadi, where he played the love interest of Alia Bhatt, no less.
Despite not playing the conventional hero, Shantanu left a mark with his subtle, supportive role of Afsaan. In a conversation with News18, the actor spoke about how he landed the role, and when did he finally realize that he is now a part of a major movie like Gangubai.
How did you land a role in a Sanjay Leela Bhansali film?
This is something I recently got to know, that his mom had spotted me in one of the TV shows that I was doing. She recommended me to sir, saying that there is something about him, something in his eyes, kuch toh baat hai ismein. So then sir told someone, and casting call happened, and that’s how I got an opportunity to audition for this role.
When did it hit home that you were part of a major project like Gangubai Kathiawadi?
After seeing the movie on the big screen, I realized it’s a very big film that I’m part of. Before that, it didn’t hit me. Till the time I completed my shoot, I didn’t realize that I was going to be part of an SLB movie. I knew that I’m part of a big project. But when I saw the movie is when I realized that oh, oh, it’s big.
Were you nervous about working with Sanjay Leela Bhansali?
I was very nervous to work with Sanjay sir. He’s a perfectionist. He is very particular about things. You hear stories about him, here and there, so by default, you become very scared. I have particularly watched his past three movies – Ram Leela, Bajirao Mastani and Padmaavat – and I became a very big fan. So for me, he became like one of the biggest celebrities that I was working with. He’s a genius. He creates magic on screen, and make sure that his actors also give their career best performances.
So yeah, there was this nervousness, this pressure that I was taking, before I started filming with him. But once I started filming with him, all those pressure, all the nervousness, kind of faded away, because it was so much fun to work with him, understanding what he’s saying, absorbing what he’s saying, and be able to perform the way he wanted his characters to be.
There is a very subtle romance between Afsaan and Gangubai. How did SLB guide you during those scenes?
He absolutely gives freedom to his actors. He is not someone who will tell you, isko aisa karo and isko waisa karo. He will give you feedback in a way, like he’ll say, I’m giving you 10 things, if you want to incorporate those things, if it comes naturally to you, you can go ahead and do those things. But if it doesn’t, then don’t do it. Do it your way, because I am not an actor, he’ll say.
Did it also help to have Alia in front of you as a co-star?
Oh, definitely, she was so effortless, and she’s so good. All you have to do is just react at times, and you will get what you want. Because if you have to put in an effort in terms of performing the way you want to perform, and you think ki mereko aise karna hai, mujhe aansu aane chahiye, it doesn’t come like that. Those natural performances mean something else. When Alia used to perform, it used to come very naturally, things used to hit in a certain manner. The reaction used to come in a very natural way. I loved working with her.
Bhansali films are also known for their grand song and dance sequences. You are such a great dancer but unfortunately you don’t get to show your skills in this film.
In fact, in initial meetings with sir, when he got to know that I have a dance background and have represented India abroad, etc, he just stopped and said, ‘But bachha, tum dance nahi kar rahe ho ismein.’ I told him, ‘Haan sir, I’m absolutely fine with it.’ I’m more than happy that I was selected for the acting part of it and not because the character had a dancing background. It’s a bigger achievement for me that I got selected in such a movie as an actor and purely as an actor. That’s a big achievement, I feel.
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