With over 300 TV commercials and serials like Saavdhan India and daily soap Perfect Pati under his belt, Samarth Shandilya is a popular face on TV. Waiting for the release of his fifth movie, Jai Mummy Di, written and directed by Navjot Gulati, Shandliya is all excited and says, “It’s a classic Luv Ranjan movie that you must watch.”
Born and brought up in Delhi, Shandilya says he spent most of his school days acting and playing sports.
“At Gyan Bharati School where I studied, a lot of stress was laid on performing arts and sports. Even now when I reflect on my theatre and acting experiences in school or when I trained at the National School of Drama, I always remember ‘the rush’ acting brought to me from the very beginning whether I was on stage or in front of the camera. And it still does, every single time I’m on sets and the camera’s ready to roll,” he adds.
After completing his BA from Delhi University, he did an MBA in marketing. And then spilled the beans to his parents that his heart lay in acting and he wanted to make a career out of it. His parents agreed, or perhaps, saw it coming. “Not just my parents but even my grandmother and larger family has been very supportive. They are my A-team back home. They keep my spirits high and I’m grateful to have their blessings,” he says.
In 2011, Shandilya moved to Mumbai as “travelling to and from Mumbai was consuming a lot of time”. He began with modelling, and did over 150 print ads before people started recognising him, and auditions for TV commercials rolled in. “My first TV commercial was for MTNL 3G Jadoo. It paved the way for many others and slowly I set foot into TV serials,” says Shandilya, listing Sada Haqq, Savdhaan India and Zindagi Ke Crossroads among others.
In 2015, while doing TV commercials and serials, he auditioned for Sabki Bajegi Band, written and directed by RJ Anirudh Chawla. “I got selected. The cast included Swara Bhaskar, Sumeet Vyas and Jhanvi Desai, and it was great working with them.” Shandilya has been consistent since then, having done an Anurag Kashyap production, Trip in Goa (currently streaming on Voot), I Am Kalam and Mall Road Dilli.
Ask the Delhi boy how it is to live in Mumbai, and he’s quick to reply, “Mumbai keeps me on my toes and feels no less than home now. Mumbai is the only city that not only fuels my dreams but brings them to reality. I do miss Delhi but primarily for maa ke haath ke paranthe, the winters and spending time with my family, friends and pet dogs. That’s why I always make it a point to spend a week or two in Delhi in December-January… plus a spontaneous trip to the hills with friends.” Shandilya idolises Shah Rukh Khan. “I am a jabra fan of SRK. His journey is inspiring and he’s absolutely admirable.”