‘Taali’ actress Sheetal Kale sheds light on the language partiality in Bollywood

Actress Sheetal Kale, who rose to fame with Sushmita Sen’s popular web series, “Taali” opened up about the prevalent partiality in Bollywood on the basis of language.

During an exclusive conversation with Media, Sheetal was asked if she had ever been judged on the basis of her regional accent.

Admitting to having gone through this, Sheetal told Media, “There’s a lot of partiality in the industry. If you don’t speak fluent English, you’re often looked down upon. This is ironic because we work in Hindi cinema. I’ve faced such discrimination myself.”

Sheetal added that people are quick to make assumptions about others. She explained that if you do not understand certain words or speak with an accent, they think you’re not educated or not ‘their level’.

“It’s disheartening. But I believe talent should be the only criterion,” she added.

Sheetal confessed that coming from a Marathi medium, she still gets nervous speaking in front of the camera.

“Even during interviews, I feel shy and struggle to express myself fluently. I’m still learning,” she shared.

The actress revealed that when it comes to performing scripted lines, she enjoys it and feels more confident.

Sheetal further revealed that speaking about personal things on camera is tough for her.

“But I’m growing slowly with each experience,” she said.

During the interaction, Sheetal also shared how she ended up finding her way into Bollywood.

She stated, “My journey has been quite interesting. It took me years to finally get a good break. I worked very hard to reach where I am today. Even though I’ve shared my story many times before, I never tire of telling it again—because each step has been unique and filled with learning.”

Reflecting on the significance of connections in Bollywood, Sheetal said, “Having strong contacts is very important here. Favoritism and lobbying are very real. Still, if you keep giving auditions and doing good work, you will get noticed. That’s what happened with me. I won an award, and I believe everyone eventually gets their turn—you just have to wait patiently.”