‘He Entered My Van Without Knocking!’: Shalini Pandey Recalls Shocking Incident With South Director at 22 (Watch Video)
Shalini Pandey, who was recently seen in the Netflix series Dabba Cartel, got her breakout role in the 2017 Telugu blockbuster Arjun Reddy opposite Vijay Deverakonda. The film also marked the directorial debut of Sandeep Reddy Vanga. Although Vanga later remade Arjun Reddy in Hindi as Kabir Singh, neither Deverakonda nor Pandey was part of the Bollywood adaptation. However, both actors eventually found their way into Hindi cinema through other films, with varying degrees of success. Shalini Pandey Birthday: Check Out the Hottest Instagram Pictures of the ‘Arjun Reddy’ Actress!
Recently, an interview clip of Shalini Pandey with Filmygyan went viral, in which she recounted a disturbing experience with a South Indian director who intruded on her privacy without permission.
Shocking Revelation About a Director’s Misconduct
In the clip, she recalled, “Very early in my career, I was working on a South film when the director walked into my van. He didn’t knock, and I was changing. He just opened the door and entered. This is a girl who has just done her first film.”
Shalini further revealed that people had advised her to be diplomatic and avoid conflict early in her career. However, in that moment, she couldn’t hold back her anger. “People usually tell you to be very sweet and not rub people up the wrong way. They say, ‘otherwise, you won’t get films’. I had been told all that. But as soon as he entered… I wasn’t even thinking, it was just a reaction… I yelled. I absolutely lost my temper. I was 22.”
Watch the Viral Clip:
Internet Speculation About the Director
Following her revelation, the internet buzzed with speculation about the identity of the director in question. However, Sandeep Reddy Vanga was ruled out, as Shalini had clearly stated that the incident occurred after her first film. Online sleuths attempted to deduce the director’s identity by analysing her filmography and age at the time.
That said, serious allegations cannot be made against any filmmaker without solid proof, especially since Shalini herself chose not to name the individual involved.
Reflecting on the incident, Shalini shared how it shaped her approach to dealing with people in the industry: “People told me that I shouldn’t have yelled. But there have to be manners. Just because I am new, you cannot just enter without knocking. You cannot do that to me. I realised that was something I carried with me. I would come across as an angry person to people. But I had to do certain things to protect myself. Later on, I learned how to navigate such situations rather than just snapping at people.” ‘Dabba Cartel’ Review: Shabana Azmi Commands This Thrilling if Uneven Netflix Crime Series With Pulpy Twists.
Shalini Pandey’s Film Career
After Arjun Reddy, Shalini Pandey appeared in several South films, including Mahanati, NTR: Kathanayakudu, 118, 100% Kadhal, Gorilla, and Nishabdham. She made her Bollywood debut in a supporting role in the 2018 film Meri Nimmo, before landing a lead role in Bamfaad.
She later starred opposite Ranveer Singh in the Yash Raj Films (YRF) production Jayeshbhai Jordaar and was also cast in Maharaj, the debut film of Aamir Khan’s son Junaid Khan, also backed by YRF.
(The above story first appeared on Today News 24 on Apr 02, 2025 09:04 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website todaynews24.top).
