Shilpa Shirodkar Reveals Reason Behind Joining Bigg Boss 18: 'Nobody Offered Work'

Actor Shilpa Shirodkar recently revealed her struggles in finding work before joining Bigg Boss 18. Shilpa shared how difficult it was for her to secure acting opportunities, but as a longtime fan of Bigg Boss, she saw the show as the perfect platform to reintroduce herself to the industry.

'No One Was Offering Work Before Bigg Boss 18': Shilpa Shirodkar Reveals Struggles

In an interview with the Indian Express, despite actively looking for work, she faced rejection, with many industry professionals unwilling to even meet her. "I was trying to look for work and connect with people, but everybody kept telling me there was no work," she said. 

Shilpa said, "Honestly, I am a huge fan of the show. Every time I watched the show, my daughter used to say that I should go on it. The family is very happy that I am going inside the house." With her daughter now 20 years old and her husband frequently travelling for work, Shilpa felt it was time to focus on herself again. Bigg Boss seemed like the perfect opportunity.

Speaking candidly about her struggle to find work, Shilpa shared that many people in the industry wouldn’t even return her calls. "I have been asked this a lot, and I have always said that yes, I was looking for work before Bigg Boss, but nobody answers your phone, and if they do, they diplomatically say that nothing is happening as of now in the industry." She explained that she often received polite rejections with promises of future opportunities that never materialised. "They shall call back when there is an opportunity; this has happened with me off late."

For Shilpa, Bigg Boss is more than just a reality show; it’s an opportunity to work again and re-establish herself in the entertainment industry. "I am an actor; I want to work; for me, Bigg Boss is also work. People look at it differently, but it’s a job. My goal to do this is to get more work afterwards," she added. Shilpa was honest about her intentions, saying, "I am not being fake or diplomatic here; I was seeking work, but people were not ready to even meet me."

Shilpa Shirodkar's Bollywood Journey

Shilpa made her Bollywood debut in 1989 with Ramesh Sippy's Bhrashtachar, where she starred alongside Mithun Chakraborty and Rekha. She quickly became a familiar face in the industry, appearing in several successful films throughout the 1990s, such as Kishen Kanhaiya, Trinetra, Hum, Khuda Gawah, Aankhen, and Gopi Kishan. Despite her early success, she found it challenging to secure roles in recent years, leading to her decision to join the reality show in the hopes of reviving her acting career.