She got widespread acclaim with her debut Gujarati film Chhello Divas in 2015, and now with recognition coming in for her first Hindi film Shaitaan, Janki Bodiwala is in a happy space. Janki chatted with us about her experience of working on Shaitaan, and having Ajay Devgn, R. Madhavan and Jyotika as her co-stars.

Shaitaan is going strong at the box office. How does it feel?

Janki Bodiwala: I am enjoying it a lot as it is my first Hindi film. Everyone around me is super happy right now.

You were part of the Gujarati film Vash, on which Shaitaan is based. How different was the experience of working on the two films?

Janki Bodiwala: Work-wise there was no difference. Everyone in both the industries is very professional. The storyline and the graph of the two films are very different. In Vash, the story ends on a dark note. In Shaitaan, there’s a happy ending; it is a film for everyone. In Vash, my character Aarya is very aggressive. There’s a scene in Vash where Aarya locks her parents in the storage room and she laughs a wicked laugh while looking for her brother. There are a few scenes that are different.

Is it an advantage to work in a remake because you already know your role?

Janki: Yes, it is an advantage because I was already familiar with the character. The disadvantage is that I had to prove myself for the same character again. I was going to be judged for the same thing I had done before. This was there at the back of my mind.

Playing the character of a girl under the spell of black magic in Shaitaan was quite stressful. I had to feel the heavy emotions all over again. It was tough. I strictly followed the script to understand my character graph. I wanted to go by my instincts. I didn’t want to be prepared. I went in all raw for both the films.

How was it to work with Vikas Bahl?

Janki: He is super chilled out as a director. I have seen quite a few of his films… Super 30, Queen, Chillar Party. Shaitaan was a new genre for him as a director. He suggested that we add the psychotic angle in Shaitaan. It was his idea.

You also got a chance to work with Ajay Devgn, R. Madhavan and Jyotika…

Janki Bodiwala: They are such amazing actors. You have to be on your toes while you are working with all three of them because they are well-prepared, they know their lines and emotions perfectly. They know the dialogues of every character. That’s the best part. That is how prepared they were.

You were studying dentistry. What made you pursue acting?

Janki Bodiwala: It was like everyone who wanted to be an actor in their childhood. Even if one doesn’t know anything about acting, one still wants to become an actor because of the limelight. I never knew how to. I was studying dentistry and I was not enjoying it, so I took a break from it. Suddenly the opportunity for an audition came in through my father. I went for it with no expectations and I got selected. That’s how my journey in Gujarati films started with Chhello Divas.

Do you want to focus on Gujarati films or are you keen on doing more Hindi films?

Janki Bodiwala: I really don’t know. You never know what is going to happen next. I am okay with films in any language. Once I finished my shoot for the Hindi film, I moved to a Gujarati film that is releasing this June. I am giving auditions for everything. That is the process that’s going on now.

⁠Apart from acting, what are your other interests?

Janki: I am a very bad singer and singing is one thing that I want to learn. It will help me as an actor too. I have some time now, so I want to learn to sing!

What is next for you?

Janki: I am filming for Trisha on the Rocks. It is a romcom. The character and the film are different from my previous films. It’s a subject that I was really looking forward to, something very light. The film will bring a smile to people’s faces.