I danced even before I could walk: Emily Shah

Indian-American producer-actor, Emily Shah, will be seen in 'Jungle Cry' opposite Abhay Deol. According to her a story should be told responsibly to the world. Daughter of producer Prashant Shah, she has grown up on film sets. The energy on the sets fascinated her. Today, with Jungle Cry she experienced the same thrill in acting. Emily Shah in a tete-a-tete with Lokmat Times: 
 
How different is the working style in the west compared to India? 

'Jungle Cry' is a British-Indian production, so I didn't see much difference other than the language. In India, there is no union system. I prefer the Indian method as you can work on your own terms. 

Did you always wish to be an actor? 

I actually grew up dancing. That was the first thing I entered when it comes to arts. I joke, but I was dancing at the age of two; I was dancing before I could walk. I just fell in love with the idea of performing and being on stage, so shortly after, when I had more confidence at the age of five, I started entering theatre programmes. I would go to an Indian dance and acting academy in Mumbai over the summer. My parents would literally fly me out there, drop me off for three months, and say okay, now you learn. Then, after the summer was over, they would bring me back to the United States and back to school. So I was always really involved in the performing arts. It started with dance, then theatre, acting, and modeling, so it was a mix of everything. 

Was it difficult to shoot in Indian weather? 

We shot between April and December. The only difficulty we had was in winters, the days were shorter, we got to shoot only between 8am to 4pm. Whereas in summers we got 7 to 8 hours to shoot. In Odisha, we shot during the cyclone. It was an interesting experience. 

Which Indian actress is your inspiration? 

Rani Mukherji. I love her trajectory of work. She did memorable and meaningful roles. She is a good actress. Her 'Black' is my most favourite film. Her work speaks for herself. Even after marriage she made it a point not to be forgotten. 

How did you bag 'Jungle Cry'?

When I read the script of 'Jungle Cry' I was in the US. I thought Americans wouldn't know about the story but when I came to India and shared the story of Rugby World Cup, I was surprised they also didn't know the story. I knew it was my social responsibility to tell this story in the most respectable manner. 

How was your experience working with Abhay Deol? 

He is a respected and talented actor. He was helpful on and off the set. He was always there to share experience, since he has crossed over to Hollywood and has worked in Bollywood. He treated me as equal on the sets as an acting partner. It is hard to come across someone like him with no ego. 

Any offers from OTT platforms? 

I have OTT on perspective. In the West, OTT is end all be all and I can see the shift happening in India as well. OTT will come in and dominate the industry since it gives global recognition. 

What’s next for you?

I actually took up writing during the pandemic. I went to UCLA classes online for screenwriting. So I was able to develop a series as well as two feature films. I am working on developing them further between India and the US. Adding screenwriter to my list is a goal of mine. So I am really focusing on that. I am also working on entering India market as an actress.