11 August,2025 04:09 PM IST | Mumbai | Shruti Sampat
Shaleen Malhotra
Shaleen Malhotra has been a part of many hits on TV like Arjun, Mere Dad Ki Dulhan, Ziddi Dil Maane Na, Vanshaj and more. In an exclusive chat, the actor recalls his journey as he clocks 13 years. Shaleen shared how he is living the dream that he had decided to fulfil when he was young.
Shaleen said, "I debuted on the 11th of August 2012, so it's going to be 13 years now. The city held me and made me grow up into a man. So I think whatever I have, whatever I am today, I owe everything to the city and the industry. Because a boy who came from Delhi is now a man living in Bombay. That sounds pretty poetic, but it is the truth. Because I think that's what happened, because life happened here. You were taught the ups and downs of life, the value of money, the struggles, the hardships, the success, and the happiness. So everything came with its own bittersweet things. But I think the good part is that a boy, when born in the country always has a dream. He usually wants to play cricket or wants to be an actor. By the time you grow up, let's say a sample of thousands, you're in school, you probably get into your 11th, and by then you change your dreams change or the dream changes. And then there are about 700 people left. And out of the 700, we grow up again, we go to college, and we have different things happening. It comes to 500. Out of 500, only 300 make sure that they go to Bombay and give it a shot. So if out of 300, or rather if out of 1000, I'm that one person who's living the dream I once saw as a child. I don't think there can be any bigger than that."
He further added, "It's like you're living a dream, something that you love doing with a lot of passion. And you're lucky because you're living exactly what you wanted to live. Success in the parameters of money, fame, reach, yes, of course, there's always a long way to go. But I think in the basics of it, if I look back on the journey and I say, I will always be very proud of myself. And I will really be very, very happy about it. Because like I said, it's a dream that I'm living. And so many people who want to live that someone wants to be a musician is unable to do that. If I'm doing it, I think I'm one of the luckiest. So yeah, it's only gratitude and a lot of pride that I take."
On recalling setbacks in the journey, he said, "I think, you know, these thoughts, these things keep coming to you. It's not that it stops. And it's not that it doesn't come to anyone's mind. I think it's how you deal with it and how you keep moving forward. But of course, there are the highlighted points in life that will be one when I was in 2012. This is a very old age old story. I think everyone knows about it. But January 2012, rather than March. In January, I told my father that on the 31st of May, I'll come back to Delhi if I do not do anything in the city because it's already been three years. I'm a pretty educated guy. I should have gone back, done something better for my life. It had already been almost three years in the city by then. And so, I told my dad when I was coming from Delhi that I'll only ask for money from you once, that is to book my tickets. So I said, Dad, 31st make a ticket."
Shaleen then shared, "And he said, okay. In March, I signed the show. I wanted to celebrate. Or I don't know, one year earlier or something around that time when, you know, the work wasn't happening. There's mounting pressure of family because you have to take on a lot of responsibilities. You're a married man. So there were times when I thought, I don't think I'm no longer needed in the city anymore. But then again, the same thing, I always had this insane belief in the fact that it's impossible that I don't, I can't crack the code. It's impossible that something has to happen. And every single time that I've thought of giving up, or when I thought of life has blessed me with something. "
