Bollywood singer Shalmali opens up about her life beyond the screen, mental health, and more

Shalmali is no newbie to fame; she has sung some popular Bollywood numbers like Pareshaan and Balam Pichkari. Her voice is soulful to say the least, which is why it strikes a chord with people of all age groups. As a person, she likes to keep it raw and real, which reflects on her social media pages too! In a no holds barred conversation with Shalmali, we find out more about the person behind the soothing voice, her commitment to physical and emotional wellness, and more. 

Creating a routine

The pandemic has upset our routines, so much so that there’s hardly any work-life balance. But Shalmali understands its importance like no other. In fact, she believes creating a simple routine has helped her to sail through these hard times. 

“In the beginning, I would keep track of the time, and stress about what I am going to do throughout the day. But I believe a time table involving everything from working out, cooking, knitting, doing riyaaz, songwriting, and reading has helped me immensely during this pandemic,”she adds. 

What’s more, she also focuses on strength and endurance training using body weight, as well as weights. 

Social media and mental health

With a surge in social media, the access to celebrities has grown in a big way. Being under the scanner all the time can take a toll on a person’s mental health, believes Shalmali. 

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“I’m extremely sensitive and although I’d say most of the followers on my social handles are very supportive and welcoming, the handful who are insensitive manage to break my spirit very easily. Having said that, I’m doing my best to accept that this is part of the profession I’m in and making adjustments to my attitude and expectations,” she says.  

Shalmali has been at the centre of certain troll attacks, and although the intensity wasn’t as much, she did get impacted. 

“But I’ve always ended up channelling that into a song. I’ve so far written two songs, because of the emotional upheaval, thanks to a social media audience reaction,” she adds.

A word of advice

Shalmali has a piece of advice for those women who look up to her (and otherwise). 

“There’ll be good things and there’ll be some not-so-good things that’ll be part of this journey we’re on. The not-so-good things will somehow be bold and underlined, and we’ll forget to notice the good. I’m at this point, doing my best to look at all things good. I know it’ll help me, and I hope it’ll help you too,” she concludes.