FIRST THINGS FIRST

NEWBIE JANKI BODIWALA, WHO MADE HER PRESENCE FELT WITH SHAITAAN, TALKS ABOUT HER BOLLYWOOD SOJOURN WITH TANZIM PARDIWALLA

- TANZIM PARDIWALLA

Great storytelling and performances have always existed in regional cinema, beyond the mainstream. These stories often inspire adaptations and remakes. It's rare to see a key cast member being retained in the remake. This happened for Janki Bodiwala, who got her first break in Krishnadev Yagnik's Gujarati-language film Chhello Divas. She then went on to appear in Yagnik's supernatural thriller film Vash. Little did she know that she would also bag a role in its Hindi-language remake. Shaitaan, starring big names like Ajay Devgn, Jyothika, and R Madhavan, became her Bollywood debut. But it took a while for the bubbly actress to wrap her head around the fact that she would be reprsing her role. "They approached me and I later found out that Ajay Devgn was playing the father, Jyothika was my mother and R Madhavan was the villain." Describing her initial reaction, the actress laughs, "I was completely numb. I couldn't say anything because I think I didn't even believe them. But I was jumping with joy inside."