Shefali Shah’s latest project, Human, is based on the underbelly of the global pharmaceutical industry. The show has received praises from the audience and critics alike. We hosted Shefali for a frank interview as part of our special series, NewsX India A-List. Below are the excerpts from the interview:

Our first question to Shefali was about the part that compelled her to take up Human. Shefali said about the script, “When I read it, I was shocked.” She continued, “I have read about trials and I have heard about it, but it is just the surface, you know. There is so much that goes on behind getting a drug from manufacturing it to testing it to getting it into the market.” The actor went on to say about the project, “The script and the role [were] unlike anything I’ve ever done before.”

Speaking about the reality of drug testing in the pharmaceutical industry, Shefali stated, “Yes, we do not know the backstory and we’ll probably never know the entire backstory of it.” She further said, “When you take a cosmetic product, it says, ‘not tested on animals,’ but when you take a strip of medicine, there’s no such disclaimer put on it.” Narrating her amazement on coming across the script involving human drug trials, the actor recounted, “Until I heard the whole theme from Mozez and Vipul, I did not know the magnitude of this entire world…and everything that goes into it.” Commenting on the theme of the series and its relevance in a world marred by a pandemic, Shefali told us, “It’s a very pertinent topic, irrespective of the situation we are in.”

Talking about her love for thriller movies, Shefali said, “I love watching thrillers. As far as doing is concerned, I’m a very greedy actor, and rightfully so, and I want to do every genre possible.”

Describing her professional relationship with her husband and Human producer, Vipul Shah, Shefali said, “Whether it’s from Vipul or somebody else, when a project comes to me, he’s the first one I discuss it [with].” The actor added, “The same goes with Vipul. When he’s planning something, I’m the one he’ll talk to, or I’m probably one of the first ones to read his script.” Stressing upon the professionalism the couple maintains in the industry, Shefali revealed, “I will never tell him to make something for me, one. Two, he will never offer me something if it’s not worth my value.”

“OTT has opened horizons for all creative people. And the best part of it is, it is not determined by the box office,” said Shefali while putting forward her opinion on OTT platforms. She continued the thought, “It is not determined by the prototypes that were required in commercial films: a hero, a heroine, a star system, a dance number, a fight sequence etc.” Shefali described the entertainment industry after the emergence of OTT platforms as “rich and thriving.” She also said, “As an actor, it’s(OTT) opened a completely different world for me.”

Watch the full interview here: