Shefali Shah's journey in Hindi cinema has included several unconventional choices, but one of the earliest came at the beginning of her film career when she walked out of Ram Gopal Varma's Rangeela after shooting for four days.
The actress, who made her Bollywood debut with a minor role in the 1995 film, recently revisited the decision and the circumstances that led to it.
During an interview while promoting her book The Audacity of Being, Shah reflected on how she perceived her role in Rangeela at the time.
The film starred Aamir Khan, Urmila Matondkar and Jackie Shroff in the lead, with Shah playing the character of Mala Malhotra.
Looking back, Shah said there may have been a communication gap between her and Varma regarding the nature of her role.
She recalled understanding some of the filmmaker's comments differently from what he intended."I realised, I figured that in all jokey things, he said, you are playing a heroine.I am thinking you are playing a heroine of this film, full wrong communication," Shah said.
The actress acknowledged that she may have misunderstood what Varma was trying to convey.
However, based on her understanding of the role at the time, she did not feel that it was something she wanted to pursue."But honestly, I don't know whether it was that.But I think there was, I didn't perceive it the way he was telling me or whatever.I must have misunderstood it," she explained.
"And that's why it, you know, it didn't work for me, because I genuinely didn't think this was what I wanted to do.
And yeah, and then I just," she added.
"Who does this?"
Walking away from a film directed by an established filmmaker was an unusual decision, particularly at a stage when Shah was still beginning her career.
When asked how she made that choice despite Varma already being a major director, the actress admitted she wasn't approaching the situation with the kind of calculation one might expect in hindsight."I was obviously not thinking, I mean, who does this?You don't do it, period," Shah said.
Her decision becomes even more striking because her professional relationship with Varma did not end with Rangeela.
In fact, the two would work together again a few years later on Satya, the 1998 crime drama that became one of Varma's most acclaimed films.
Shefali Shah praises Ram Gopal Varma's response
Speaking about their reunion for Satya, Shah said Varma's willingness to work with her again demonstrated a certain openness on his part.
"It talks about him in a very big way," she said.Elaborating on what she meant, Shah added, "You know, to be gracious, to say, okay, fine.To be so receptive."
Shefali Shah turns her experiences into a book
Shah is currently promoting The Audacity of Being, a deeply personal book in which she writes about her life, experiences and journey in cinema.
The actress announced the book on social media on September 1, 2026, describing the decision to write it as an unexpected one given her own history with writing.
"For someone who used to get zero in dictation, had lots of red marks on my essays, thought ellipsis was a way to show lots of pauses, and didn't really think a capital letter was needed to start a sentence, it's crazy that I was brave enough to write not just a monthly budget but an entire book," she wrote.
Shah explained that she started writing personal thoughts in a casual way, like in diaries, on tickets, and even next to receipts.
Social media eventually gave her private reflections a wider audience and made her want to share more."I used to write my thoughts in a diary or on a ticket or next to a receipt, and then one day I just decided to share it with all of you.Not because it was amazing, but because social media is more interactive than a diary," she wrote.
She also made it clear that she didn't see the book as a traditional memoir or try to be a big literary person.
"Nothing in my life deserves a memoir.And yet I chose to tell a story that only I can own.I don't promise a clever book, but I do promise complete honesty," Shah wrote.
The book, she said, shows the same courage that has been part of her career choices.
"Until now, this book was mine.But from now on, it's yours," she concluded in her announcement."
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