No instant formula for Insta stars

A still from Thank You for Coming

Thank You for Coming is the plot twist that Shibani Bedi didn't see coming. The actor-content creator was on the verge of making peace with her unfruitful acting journey when she got an audition call for Rhea Kapoor's production, starring Bhumi Pednekar. "At that time, I was giving auditions five times a week, and barely one or two projects would work out. I thought I should accept that I failed at it," she recalls.

Today, she is winning praise for her performance as an independent single mother in the dramedy that also stars Shehnaaz Gill, and content creators Dolly Singh and Kusha Kapila. Even as content creators and influencers are segueing into movies, Bedi rubbishes the notion that they have it easy. "People presume getting roles in movies is easy [for us]. Sometimes it may be so, when the stakes are low, but getting primary roles is a tough nut to crack. I gave two rounds of auditions for Thank You, but didn't hear back for 25 days. Then, actor-comedian Sumukhi Suresh shared my number with Rhea, who was looking for Delhi-based actors with good comic timing. In half an hour, I was on a call with Rhea. She didn't know I had already auditioned for the film, so I sent her [my audition tape]. Then more [audition] rounds followed. Dolly and I went through six rounds of audition, and two chemistry tests with Bhumi."

Besides the creatively enriching experience that the film was for her, Bedi will remember it for Pednekar's warmth and rare humility. "I haven't met someone who approaches people with so much empathy. Bhumi is a star, she could've cut our scenes off or got our close-ups cut off. But she is the most secure person I've worked with. She was so warm from day one - she would initiate conversations, invite us to her room and have coffee with us."