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Simply Shilpa

From the land of fish to the heartland of gongura, it has been an eventful journey for Shilpa Chakravarthi, says K. Srimali

The petite Bengali starlet of Telugu small screen is making waves both as an anchor and as an actor. After shooting to stardom in the telly world by anchoring the popular dance show Dance Baby Dance on Gemini Television, Shilpa has not looked back as offers steadily poured in.

She went on to anchor another popular dance show Dum Rhythm and slowly branched out to play meaty roles, with some negative shades, in soap operas like Endamaavulu, Aloukika and Agni Gundam, all on ETV.

Currently, she is essaying the role of a daughter in a joint family's patriarch played by veteran Kaikala Satyanarayana in Ummadi Kutumbam on Zee Telugu channel.

First love

"I may play any number of roles in serials, but anchoring will continue to be my first love," Shilpa says. It was her standing as an anchor that earned her an invitation from the organisers of Krishna Mahotsav in the city recently. She was here to compere cultural shows for three days. "I came here on many occasions before, but it is always exhilarating to visit Vijayawada," she said.

A born-Bengali though, Shilpa says except for the initial hiccups, she did not have any problem learning Telugu and delivering the dialogues herself. "I was in Kolkata only till 10th class. Since then, I have had all my education in Hyderabad. I have a diploma in Kathak from Potti Sriramulu Telugu University. While doing a Kathak show in Hyderabad four years ago, Gemini Television spotted me and offered me Dance Baby Dance," she recalls.

Shilpa admits she had lot of problem learning Telugu initially, which's why she chose not to branch out into serials for a long time. "But more of anchoring helped me speak Telugu fluently. I have even learnt reading Telugu with considerable speed, though writing will take some more time."

Meaty roles

She has no hassles playing characters with negative shades in serials. "I don't do a negative character unless it is a meaty one. But I take care to play both positive and negative characters hand in hand." She feels she is best remembered for the role of Komalika in the serial Kante Kooturne Kanu in Gemini TV.

The big screen does lure this bong lass but she wants to be cautious before making any move. "I have made a beginning by playing the role of an anchor in a scene in the just released film Happy," she points out.

Married a year-and-half ago to media consultant Kalyan, Shilpa says she is struggling to divide her time between family obligations and career. "Fortunately, my in-laws have been extremely supportive," she rounds off.

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