Kolkata boy Shantanu Maheshwari — who has taken a giant leap from dance to credible Bolly roles — recently paid a visit to his city with a special guest. Accompanying him was Palki Malhotra, who had given Shantanu his first break with his superhit TV show Dil Dosti Dance. The two continue to be thick friends, even as Palki remains Shantanu’s biggest mentor. The Telegraph chatted with the duo.
SHANTANU MAHESHWARI You travel across the world. What’s that one emotion you invariably feel when you come to Kolkata?
I have been born and brought up here, so obviously it is very close to my heart. It is a beautiful city and the balance of the old and new is just amazing! The city also has so much history. We have tried to preserve it as much as we can and that aspect of Kolkata is amazing. I feel that Kolkata has some kind of a spiritual power. It is something I relate to.
What did the city mean to you when you were growing up and what does it mean to you now that you don’t stay here?
Kolkata means a lot to me! I have spent vital years of my life here. My school life, playing sports... there are so many memories I associate with the city. Travelling in Metro, buses, especially during Durga Puja, walking around and pandal hopping. This city is all about my roots. Now that I don’t stay here, I miss all these things about the city. Even the grounds in Kolkata were huge. There was so much space for us to play. When I come back now, I really value the beauty, the heritage sites and the architecture. I also miss the street food and the mithai quite a lot. Nothing can ever replace authentic Bengali mithai.
Which are the places you took Palki to on this trip?
This visit was a very short one. I took Palki to Kalighat and the Bhootnath temple in north Kolkata. I took her to Gariahat. There is also this cafe at Raajkutir (Swabhumi) which has amazing baked goodies and coffee. I also made her try mishti doi.
Why was it important for you to take her to these particular places?
I know what she enjoys and these are small places which are not very crowded but at the same time they have good energy. Also places where you are in the city but at the same time you are not in the city. She loves calmness. She does not take a lot of holidays, so as a friend I felt that if I take her to these places, she would feel calm automatically.
How do you define the bond that you share with her?
Palki is my best friend and she has always been a big support system. She has seen my potential and wanted me to grow. We are both very passionate about what we do. I don’t know how the bond grew so thick, we realised that we are quite similar. She is my go-to person for anything at any hour. She is a very pure soul. I feel privileged to have got a chance to know her.
If you get a chance to spend a few days in Kolkata, what would be on your must-visit list?
I have actually not explored many parts of south Kolkata and New Town. I mostly know places in north and central Kolkata. South Kolkata has a few amazing sweet places and breakfast places, for aloo puri and so on. I have never visited Eden Gardens, so yes I would love to go there once, for a match and even otherwise.
PALKI MALHOTRA
How was coming to Kolkata this time with Shantanu special?
I have been fascinated by Kolkata for a very long time. Since the time I have been friends with Shantanu, it has been a tad bit special because he has introduced me to a very different side, or rather the real side of Kolkata, which is not just commercial. It is because of him that I have explored Durga Puja pandals. One thing that is very important to me is the Kalighat temple. Because of Shantanu, I visit this temple every year and he has to come along for darshan. With Shantanu, it becomes a lot easier because he is a local. So it is his responsibility to make sure that I do my darshan nicely.
Which are your favourite Kolkata haunts?
I love Kolkata... it is one of my favourite cities in the world. The reason I say this is because it has got this beautiful old-world charm and very consciously it has retained its cultural values. No matter how much I travel abroad, no other city comes close to Kolkata.
Is there anything in Kolkata you would like to visit or experience the next time you are here?
When I was young, I never visited Kolkata and I never understood the city. But my father wrote a play and played a Bengali character and I was very inquisitive about it because it was a very different and difficult character. That actually sparked my interest in Kolkata and when I researched, I saw so much about Kolkata that I wanted to visit and explore... its background, its people and its cultural heritage fascinated me big time.
I have been such a die-hard fan that even before visiting it, I developed a show called Yeh Teri Gulliyan, which was based in Kolkata and was a beautiful show on Zee TV. There was another show called Ek Haseena Thi on STAR Plus. When I was developing it, the show started with Durga Puja.
Later, Shantanu would always talk about Kolkata and I thought he was just over-exaggerating. Only when I visited Kolkata did I realise what the city has to offer.
I have been to Kolkata during Durga Puja. I was speechless by the creativity in the pandals. I want to do that every year. I want to travel by tram. The other thing that I want to do and haven’t found time yet is to visit Kumartuli and see the making of the idols. The murtikars fascinate me and just to sit and watch them will be so amazing.
You have been Shantanus’s mentor from the start and have seen his journey. What are the qualities that set him apart?
Shantanu is extremely hardworking and talented. There are many talented people but the reason he stands out is because he gives his 100 per cent, physically and mentally. He puts an extra 200 per cent and brings that to the table.
Shantanu is also a humble and very honest person. In Campus Beats, he was the lead and a senior actor but the way he gelled with the cast and crew of the show was really fascinating. I could not make out any difference between him and the other fresh actors on the show. He brings the best three Hs in my life — humility, hard work and honesty. That is how I describe him. But I really want him to ease out, chill out and calm down a bit.
Pictures courtesy: Shantanu Maheshwari