sheetal sheth posted by imani , Tuesday, July 14, 2009 at 4:23 PM, in Labels: freefall

about a couple of months ago, i sent actor sheetal sheth an e-mail - through an e-mail address posted on her official website (sheetalsheth.com)...and she has replied.

OMG!

i first saw her in the movie 'i can't think straight,' with lisa ray.

--- On Mon, 7/13/09, Sheetal Sheth wrote: From: Sheetal Sheth
Subject: Re: Thank you.
To: alab_imani@yahoo.com
Date: Monday, July 13, 2009, 7:09 AM

lovely teresa-

thank you for that amazing email and for reaching out!! your support means so much and best to you with everything! wish you SO MUCH!!

take care, s.

On May 30, 2009, at 8:21 PM, alab_imani@yahoo.com wrote:

Sheetal, Hi! I am Teresa Anne Salvador and I come from Manila, Philippines. I just recently saw your movie with Lisa Ray, 'I can't think straight.' I just want to let you know that I think you two are phenomenal in the film. There are so many things about both your characters and the story line that just hit home.

You are emphatically a beautiful actor but more than that, you did a wonderful job portraying the character of Leyla. I think what drew me to the movie was the reality that I share a lot of similarities with your character - I also am aspiring to be a writer (poet, actually), and I also went through a 'difficult' experience in terms of coming out to my mother and sister. There was a phase in my life, even after I 'outed' (is that even a term? haha) myself that I felt invisible - that I wasn't being appreciated for who I am, that those who I love the most weren't seeing the real me.

I have read in one of your interviews that Leyla's the kind of person who would like to live her life in the truest, most honest way, which is why she made sure that her family knows her sexual identity - despite the truth that they might not understand it at first and that they might get hurt. Also, I find it to be a really huge inspiration that despite the bounds and frontiers your character was facing - you made sure that her 'inner fire' burned steadily throughout the movie. At the end of the film, it dawned on me that Leyla wasn't just one of the roles you had to play...you defined her and have become her.

I applaud you for accepting the challenge to take on such a complex character. Your movie definitely has reached out to a lot of people - I have actually just become your (biggest!) fan. The matters that were unveiled in the movie were critical, realistic and current. You, Lisa, Shamim and everyone else involved in creating 'I can't think straight' did a terrific job - because a lot of people can relate to what you have shown. Your movie and your character is timeless...and I say it is timeless because wherever we are, whatever our race or gender is, we would always be conflicted with issues, but your movie tells people, your movie tells me that things will get better, that there is something to hope for. That if we are not upfront with who we are, the only person we risk hurting is ourselves.

Again, I would like to say thank you so very much. You are a great inspiration to a lot of women - of all age range - you are a great inspiration to me.

I wish you all the very best.

Sincerely,

Téa