The web has opened up new avenues for young performers: 'Sitapur' actor Shiva Shukla

The rise of the web is allowing many young talents to realize their acting dreams. One such talent is Shiva Shukla who recently starred in the MX Player film ‘Sitapur: The City Of Gangsters,’ an action thriller produced under the banner of the label Rudransh Entertainment.

Hailing from the small town of Phaphund in UP’s Auraiya district, Shukla’s first break was a 2017 short film called ‘Sorry Mom,’ which dealt with the subject of drug addiction. ‘Sorry Mom’ was widely screened at various rehabilitation centres across the country. It has a very powerful message for the young generation that’s prone to drug addiction. "The film helped me gain some recognition early on in my career and very soon I started getting offers in film and television,” reveals Shukla.

Shukla subsequently got the opportunity to work with veteran actor and NSD alumnus Govind Namdev in the youth-focused film 'Rock Band Party,' produced under the banner of Gulshan Anand Films. The first phase of this film was shot in Etawah while the second phase was shot in Lucknow. But the film was later shelved.

“It’s always disappointing when your hard work doesn’t see the light of the day. But one must look at the bright side. I remember the time when we didn't even have a TV at home and would watch the serial on a black and white set at a friend's house. When I used to tell people that one day they would get to see them on the same screen, people used to laugh at me, including family members. Today, I am fortunate enough to pursue my dream and work with the likes of Govind Namdev Ji. The web has opened up new avenues for young performers,” asserts Shukla.

Shukla, who will be next seen in Sagar Pathak’s film ‘Cypher,’ has been acting in plays right from his school days. After clearing intermediate he joined professional theatre with the hope of realizing his childhood dream. But his plans got badly jolted when his father passed away a year later. “It wasn’t easy overcoming the loss but I had to come to terms with the reality of my situation. I somehow mustered the courage and soon I was more determined than ever to prove myself. Initially, I started with mimicry, travelling to places within the state for acts. From my hometown, I first travelled to Kanpur and then Lucknow followed by Delhi and finally I reached Mumbai,” recollects Shukla.

While theatre gave him confidence and self-belief, there was hardly any money to be made. That’s when he got associated with event companies. He subsequently started doing commercial plays and stand-up acts which paid him better. Shukla has also been a part of crime shows made for a UP-based channel. While the COVID-19 pandemic created great uncertainty for Shukla he didn’t give up on his acting dream. “There was a time when I started getting a bit double-minded as there was a lot of uncertainty around but soon things started getting better. Then suddenly the second wave struck but I kept myself motivated as work opportunities kept on coming my way,” reveals Shukla who is currently shooting for the second season of ‘Sitapur: The City Of Gangsters’. He is also associated with another project titled ‘Operation Kand,’ directed by Anish Sharon Khan and produced under the banner of Rudransh Entertainment. It is scheduled to be shot in Lucknow.