Shalini Passi opens up about her strict childhood and how she tricked school boys by giving out ‘fake phone numbers’

Shalini Passi, best known for her appearance in a popular OTT show recently took a trip down memory lane in an interview with Hauterrfly sharing an amusing yet revealing anecdote from her youth that highlighted the restrictive norms she grew up with. She revealed how her mom was strict when it came to interacting with boys.








In a candid interview Shalini recalled how strict her household rules were. “My mother said ki if you… if any boy calls you, I will send you to boarding house,” she shared. The threat was clear enough to keep most boys at bay, but Shalini found a clever loophole. “So I told everybody, ‘If you want me to go to boarding then you call me,’” she laughed.


However, that didn’t stop her from outshining the boys. She even gave out her phone number with one digit intentionally missing. “They would keep asking, baar baar wahi poochte the number. Toh main ek digit miss kar deti thi,” she said, explaining that this way, she had plausible deniability. “At least I know my number… just not the last digit,” she quipped.


When asked whether the boys ever tried all possible combinations to crack the missing digit, Shalini chuckled, “Utni akkal nahi hoti thi logon ko (People weren’t smart enough to figure it out).”


While the story had its humorous edge, it also subtly reflected on the rigid upbringing many Indian girls face while growing up. Shalini’s recollection adds to an ongoing conversation about evolving parenting norms, adolescent autonomy, and the need to build trust-based rather than fear-based relationships with young adults.


Through a lighthearted memory, she reminds us that while rules may be strict, young girls have always found smart — and sometimes hilarious — ways to navigate them.