Shobhita Dhulipala on prejudice towards models: They are considered ‘glam dolls’ who ‘can’t perform’

Actress Sobhita Dhulipala says she has always had a deep respect for the performing arts, which is why she wants to dispel the perception in the film industry that actors with a modeling background are just “glamour dolls”. The actor, who has featured in various projects like “Made in Heaven” series and Mani Ratnam’s two-part magnum opus “Ponniyin Selvan”, said his aim has always been to look for complex parts.
“When I started… I knew that people know that I come from a modeling background, I have been Miss India. And there is a prejudice towards them, that they are glamor dolls and they can’t perform. So, I was conscious that I should choose parts that gave me scope to perform. A lot of my early decisions were inspired by this. I have a deep respect for the performing arts and I want to do good work And I want to get better every day.” the 31-year-old actor told PTI in an interview.

Born in Tenali, Andhra Pradesh, Dhulipala was the first runner-up in the Femina Miss India 2013 beauty pageant. She later represented India at Miss Earth 2013 in the Philippines. The actor made his acting debut in 2016 with Anurag Kashyap’s “Raman Raghav 2.0” and later went on to feature in the films “Chef” and “Kaalakaandi”. She received critical acclaim for her performance in the Prime Video series “Made in Heaven”, in which she played the role of Tara Khanna, a wedding planner.

In addition to his work in Hindi films and shows, Dhulipala also ventured into the South film market, where he starred in “Goodachari” (Telugu), “Moothon” (Malayalam) and the bilingual film “Major”. “Initially I didn’t get mainstream opportunities so I was doing whatever was coming my way and choosing the best. But I felt that getting involved with different types of canvas was like being exposed to a bigger junta. There was an opportunity and create stories. Different regions have stories that are unique to their nature, you grow a lot as an actor,” he said.

The actor compared survival in the film industry to a game of snakes and ladders. “One hit and zoop, you go up. And two flops and boom, you’re down. It’s like you’ve been dealt a certain bunch of cards and you’ve got to play with it. You’re like ‘I wish I had this, that’ Nahi ho sakte hota’ (I wish I had a certain card). I don’t find that healthy. I have a lot to be grateful for, a lot has gone right and it’s important to remember that,” Dhulipala said.

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Dhulipala is currently starring in the Disney+ Hotstar series “The Night Manager”, adapted from the British series of the same name, which was based on author John le Carré’s 1993 novel. The first part of ‘The Night Manager’, also starring Aditya Roy Kapur and Anil Kapoor, released on Disney+ Hotstar in February and became an instant hit. Dhulipala, who plays Kaveri ‘K’ Dixit, believes she has grown as an artist by playing complex characters. “I think I’ve grown a lot playing characters who deal with crises bigger than me. It made me grow up. When I read about a character who’s complicated, I don’t judge them I am able to feel the surprises in my journey and maybe they just come naturally to me,” she said. The second part of “The Night Manager” is set to debut on Friday. Produced by Sandeep Modi, the show also stars Tilottama Shome, Ravi Behl and Saswata Chatterjee.