Shilpa Shirodkar who was last seen in ‘Bigg Boss’, is remembered for a number of movies like ‘Gopi Kishan’, ‘Aankhen’ and more. But, her journey into Bollywood wasn’t paved with a red carpet. It saw a lot of struggle and breaking barriers. Early in her career, after a project backed by Boney Kapoor fell apart, the actress found herself labelled “jinxed” by an industry that was quick to pass judgment. Offers dried up, and hope seemed distant, until Mithun Chakraborty stepped in. In an interview, Shilpa recounted how her big break came courtesy of the veteran star. It all started when Rikku Rakesh Nath, Madhuri Dixit’s manager, reached out to Mithun with a request to give the struggling newcomer a chance. “When Rikku ji asked Mithun Chakraborty to launch me, he, without thinking, said, ‘I will launch her,’” she recalled during a chat with Pinkvilla. True to his word, Mithun went above and beyond. He announced Shilpa’s casting in a Bengali film during a grand event in Calcutta. “We had a fabulous mahurat kind of thing, and the news came that Shilpa has been signed with Mithun. Cut to he introduced me to Ramesh Sippy,” she shared. That introduction led to her debut in Bhrashtachar, and marked the beginning of her film journey. “That’s how I got Bhrashtachar, and I started working in the film industry. So I have to say that I got this opportunity because of Dada (Mithun) and I am here because of him.” Shilpa has immense gratitude towards Mithun Chakraborty till date. She describes her feelings towards him as “full of love, respect, and ever so grateful.” But even with his support, stepping onto a film set alongside him was intimidating for the newcomer. She admitted to feeling the pressure of performing opposite someone she owed her break to. “He was a senior to me and during shooting, I would reach the set in the morning and I would start preparing and giving my solo shots and Dada would come in the afternoon for the combination shots,” she said. “But I used to be under so much pressure to not give retakes that I would give the shots while being scared.” Despite her nerves, their on-screen chemistry clicked. When Mithun noticed her discomfort, he asked her about it. Shilpa confessed, “I told him that I don’t want to give retakes in front of him, and he told me that I am crazy.”
