Shalini Passi On How She Manages To Stay Authentic

And the award for the Breakout Celebrity of the Year goes to Shalini Passi. Was there ever a doubt? Well, we think not. Shalini received the honour at NDTV Indian of the Year Awards 2024. The award was presented to her by none other than the legendary actress Asha Parekh, alongside Savita Chhabra, the Founder, Board Advisor, and CSR Head of Streax India. As she accepted the award, Shalini took a moment to reflect on her journey, which was anything but conventional. When asked about how she manages to remain so authentic, Shalini’s answer was both simple and profound. “The secret behind it is that I do a lot of things in a day. So, I don’t have time to rehearse anything. So, I do what’s in my mind, what’s in that moment.” She continued with a laugh, “And if I rehearse myself, it’s of no use, right? It’s very simple.”

“I’m a learner for life and you’ll have to keep just waiting and watching, I guess,” Shalini Passi added. 

Talking about her upcoming projects, Shalini Passi revealed, “Also, I want to use this platform which is so huge for the work that I’ve been doing with UNICEF and for the Art Foundation. So, my actual vision is to use all this fame and the love that I’m getting to reach out to people to support Indian contemporary art, and crafts in our country.” 

Shalini Passi said that her goal is not only to raise awareness but also to use her influence to make a tangible difference, something that’s close to her heart. On being labelled a breakout celebrity, Shalini said, “I don’t know, like I was very happy where I was, my friends, family, and my people who I work with knew how passionate I am about various things that I do. And it also takes a lot of personal courage to come on a bigger platform. And I think when the time is right, things just happen. You don’t really have to push for things, and Asha Parekh is just standing there.”

Speaking of Asha Parekh, Shalini Passi couldn’t help but gush about the legendary actress, whom she has long admired. “I mean, it’s such a coincidence that I have admired you since I was a kid and now I’m getting this award from you. I have to say, that Asha Parekh has been such an inspiration. Not that I’ve achieved anything in the film world, but I like her looks, her grace, her dances, her hairdo, her eyeliner, and her beauty and everything. I’m absolutely obsessed with her.”