Actor Shanaya Kapoor says shelved Bedhadak shaped her journey

Shanaya Kapoor looks back at the shelving of Bedhadak and reveals how the setback shaped her journey in Bollywood.

Bedhadak, the much-hyped Dharma Productions film, was meant to mark Shanaya Kapoor's debut, but the film was shelved. While many assumed it would be a crushing blow for the young actor, she says the experience “made me who I am today”. In a candid reflection, she admits the film’s abrupt halt – along with other stalled opportunities – forced her to grow faster than she expected.

Shanaya, who was set to star opposite Lakshya and Gurfateh Pirzada in Bedhadak, believes the setback came with a hidden lesson. “Everything happens for a reason,” she has said, adding that the pause pushed her to work harder on her craft during the months she wasn’t facing the camera. Rather than sulk, she trained.

Announced with much fanfare, Bedhadak was meant to be Shanaya’s grand launch. However, the project was eventually shelved, leaving her without the debut many had predicted would catapult her into the spotlight. For a newcomer, that uncertainty can be brutal. Shanaya now calls it formative.

Support came from home. Her father, actor Sanjay Kapoor, urged her to stay focused on the work rather than the noise. If there was no set to perform on, he told her to create her own stage. Keep rehearsing, keep showing up, control what you can and ignore the rest – that was his advice.

Shanaya eventually made her big-screen debut with Aankhon Ki Gustaakhiyan opposite Vikrant Massey. The film didn’t set the box office afire, but she considers it a necessary chapter. Before acting, she had also assisted on Gunjan Saxena: The Kargil Girl, which helped her observe the mechanics of filmmaking.

Her latest release, Tu Yaa Main, directed by Bejoy Nambiar and co-starring Adarsh Gourav, marks another step in her evolving journey. Though reviews have been mixed, Shanaya sounds steadier than ever. Setbacks, she insists, didn’t derail her – they refine her.