Shirin Kanchwala even though is from Mumbai, the actress says that she’s taken a liking to south films, especially Tamil films. The actress, who makes her Tamil debut in movie titled “Nenjamundu Nermaiyundu Odu Raja” (NNOR) as a media reporter, opposite Rio Raj, a popular television actor and video jockey in the Tamil entertainment industry.
“I started working since I was 18. I always had a passion for travelling and became an air hostess. I was working for three years and decided to quit as the work became monotonous. Casually, my friend and I decided to do a photo shoot and I tried my luck in modelling, too. And slowly, I began getting film offers. But all of this wasn’t planned. I never knew I would get into films,” says the Mumbai-based girl.
“I play a serious TV reporter in the film. The director shared several real-world references with me in order to help me understand better how TV reporters conduct themselves. Even Siva Karthikeyan sir encouraged me a great deal, and I don’t think that I could have pulled it off without his support”, says Shirin Kanchwala.
Ask her about her Tamil debut and she says, “It all just happened one day. I play a journalist in this film. Even though I don’t know the language, I sought help from one of the assistant directors to get my pronunciation right. I got my dialogues beforehand and used to practise before I went for the shoot. We even had rehearsals before we began the shoot. So, things were in place when we were shooting the film.”
Shirin first made her acting debut in a Kannada film titled Viraaj, which hit the screens last December. The actress says that her NNOR team was very supportive. “Rio was very sweet. I was doubtful if I’d be able to match up to his speed, but he was very kind. The director and the rest of the crew were helpful, too,” she says. And what about the film’s producer, Sivakarthikeyan? She smiles, “He doesn’t behave like a star and is very down-to-earth. He saw a couple of my scenes and said that I have done a good job. I am waiting for the film to hit the screens.”
