Shaleen Malhotra on turning a director for his next: I have not left acting

Shaleen Malhotra is shifting from acting to writing and directing, a change he describes as natural and fulfilling

Shaleen Malhotra is stepping into a new creative phase of his career as the actor has taken up writing and direction for his upcoming project. Known widely for his work on television, the actor says this shift wasn’t sudden, it had been taking shape quietly over the years. “Writing is something I’ve been doing over the course of time,” he says, adding: “I never really thought of getting it out. I used to write for myself, keep it to me. When you read a lot, as an actor, your creative aspect opens up. Some people journal, some write poems; I just co-joined a lot of thoughts I had over time.”

Shaleen

For Shaleen, the industry has been in a transformative phase in recent years, and that is when he found both the time and clarity to pursue this creative urge. “I’ve always been someone who pushes for creative satisfaction more than monetary satisfaction. One fine day, I had written something, and actor Suyyash (Rai) called me. I narrated it to him, and that’s how it all began.”

Transitioning from being in front of the camera to guiding actors from behind it has been an evolution he embraced naturally. “I’ve never been the guy sitting in the vanity,” he laughs. “I’m always on set, asking questions, learning how shots are taken, how emotions are captured. So stepping behind the camera felt like a healthy change,” says Shaleen, who was last seen in the television show Vanshaj. He also admits that having seasoned actors onboard made the shift even smoother.

Launching the project under his own production banner was a bold decision, but one he took with conviction. “The shoulders are shared because Suyyash is also with me,” he says, adding, “My philosophy is simple: if you truly believe something will satisfy you, and you have enough to make ends meet, go for it.” With content across platforms veering into dark, heavy themes, Shaleen says he has chosen a gentler route.

“Everyone is forced into negatives, thrillers, horrors, dark spaces. There’s nothing light. Why do you think, people prefer December? Because they watch Christmas movies, they’re a breath of fresh air. I wanted to make something that comes from the heart, something relatable and easy to understand.” Even with OTT reaching a saturation point, the actor-director says he wasn’t anxious about the project’s prospects. “I was only scared of how it would turn out when I sat on the edit. When I saw that it matched what I imagined while writing and directing, I was relieved,” he says. “Of course I wish everyone loves it equally, but I wasn’t scared of the outcome.”

He also weighs in on why so many television actors are gravitating toward production and content creation today. “As actors, our ecosystem is the set; directors, DOPs, creatives, writers,” he explains, further adding: “So diversifying within the same industry becomes easier than venturing into something completely alien. Suyyash understands music, so he became a music director. I understood content, so I chose this, which also keeps me close to my roots.”

So, is this the end of his acting career? Shaleen insists he will never let go of acting. “I don’t think I can ever take the actor out of me. My entire direction is emotion-led, not shot-led. Before I explain a scene to an actor, I feel the emotion myself. That helped me communicate better because actors know I understand where they’re coming from.” As for the platform and release, he confirms that everything is already locked, and that the project is expected to release early next year.