Shloka Pandit rues how pandemic robbed her of the chance for a big screen debut

Having said that Shloka Pandit says she is lucky in a way that instead of further delay, her film could come out even if it meant releasing on an OTT.

As OTTs gained prominence this year too with lockdown of states and shutdown of theatres, many films continued to make their way to digital platforms. Shloka Pandit’s debut film, Hello Charlie, also met with the same fate.

Shloka Pandit made her film debut with Hello Charlie.

“The film was supposed to release last year in June. There was already a delay of almost a year. Of course, I wish my first film came out in theatres. I always wanted to do a big screen film. I wanted to be an actor since the age of five. I wish the world was open, cinemas were open,” she rues.

Having said that, Pandit feels “lucky in a way” that instead of further delay, her film could come out, even if it meant releasing it on an OTT platform. “I am lucky that people at least got to watch my film,” says the actor.

While she wishes that the situation was different for her debut release, which also starred Aadar Jain, the actor now looks at it positively. “That the fact that even during a pandemic I could have a movie that came out and so many people watched is a big deal. I don’t think we’re in any position to bargain with anyone or anything right now,” says Pandit.

And because of the present scenario, the actor says all her future work, which she wanted to build on post her first film, has gone for a toss.

“Everyone wants to have a better tomorrow and a better career. but the crisis has made everything uncertain. Normally, after the first film, you start your journey and you want to build on that. But, now everything is on halt. There are no work meeting, no shootings. It has affected my plans for sure and the course of things that one takes in their career,” she says.

Yet, keeping an optimistic approach, Pandit concludes, “We need to heal as the pandemic settles down. It would be selfish to worry about and say, ‘Oh what will happen to my career’. If I’m good, I’ll get work.”