Mumbai: As her film “Silsiilay” completed 20 years, Celina Jaitly reflected on her experience of feeling emotionally unsettled while portraying a romantic relationship with a much older co-star. She revealed that portraying a romantic relationship with a much older co-star was emotionally unsettling for her, but stepping into that discomfort helped her evolve as an actor.
On Wednesday, the No Entry actress took to Instagram and shared a video clip from Silsilay, showcasing a scene starring her alongside Tabu and Kay Kay Menon. Calling the film “a true masterpiece” and “a cinematic experiment ahead of its time,” Celina praised its nuanced storytelling, which explored themes of love, longing, and identity across three interconnected narratives. In the post, the actress reminisced about playing the role of Preeti, an air hostess — a character that offered her a sense of freedom and artistic growth.
Jaitly wrote, “#20thbirthday : SILSILEY | 20 years of SILSILEY a true masterpiece by Khalid Mohammed. A unique cinematic experiment ahead of its time, SILSILEY was a collection of three intertwined stories, each exploring love, longing, and identity through different sets of characters and generations. It was storytelling in its most nuanced and poetic form.” “I played #cabincrew an #airhostess for the first time in my career and while it was just an aspect of my onscreen character.. PREETI was something I truly enjoyed playing.
Playing an #airhostess gave me a strange freedom to let go and find myself evolve as an actor. It disturbed me to be romantically involved with someone old enough to be my parent but it was captivating to step into this uncomfortable space.” The ‘Golmaal Returns’ actress added, “Working with Khalid was like stepping into a world of sheer artistry. I had the honour of featuring in one of the most hard-hitting segments, alongside phenomenal seniors like Tabu and Kay Kay Menon. We vibed together effortlessly a rare creative chemistry that brought depth and authenticity to every frame.
The story felt like a painting, rich in emotional texture, capturing people of different ages all trying to understand and find love.”(sic) Celina Jaitly concluded the note writing, “It was also a privilege to collaborate with cinematic legends behind the lens especially the brilliant Santosh Sivan, who shot me like a dream in the solo hit Belibaas, a moment that remains poetry in motion. To Khalid thank you for trusting me with a role that still resonates two decades later. You painted with people and emotions… and created something truly timeless. A big thank you to my producer Vashuji. (Vashu Bhagnani).”
“Silsiilay,” released on 17 June 2005, was written and directed by Khalid Mohammed. The ensemble cast includes Tabu, Bhumika Chawla, Riya Sen, Celina Jaitly, Anita Hassanandani, Divya Dutta, Rahul Bose, Jimmy Sheirgill, Ashmit Patel, and Kay Kay Menon. Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan also made a special appearance in the film.
