On A Date with Shenaz Treasuryvala

DP: Your pairing is quite unusual in Aagey Se Right. ST: Yes it is. I’m paired opposite Kay Kay who plays a terrorist. I play a ‘never been kissed ‘ girl who works in a dance bar to make ends meet. He comes from Afghanistan, Read More">does not know how to seduce a girl and speaksRead More

DP: Your pairing is quite unusual in Aagey Se Right.
ST: Yes it is. I'm paired opposite Kay Kay who plays a terrorist. I play a 'never been kissed ' girl who works in a dance bar to make ends meet. He comes from Afghanistan, does not know how to seduce a girl and speaks Urdu.

DP: Have you ever seduced a man?
ST: I prefer being seduced. But I don't mind a song from Don 'Yeh Mera Dil Pyaar Ka Deewana' playing and me seducing my man (laughs).
ST: See, I have no type of man in mind. I just love men. I like guys. Men are very predictable and simple.
DP: But you didn't predict the pair of tea light holders coming, did you?
ST: It's good manners to take something every time you go to someone's house (laughs)

DP: So how did the other two film - Delhi Belly and Radio happen?
ST: Delhi Belly happened much before Aagey Se Right. I was walking on the street after my workout. Somebody saw me from Kiran Rao's office and called me for a screen test for her film Dhobi Ghaat. I went in for that and I tested for the role. The same night, Kiran showed the test to Aamir Khan and he wanted me to test for Delhi Belly. Luckily, I got the film.

DP: Do you believe in 'Luck'?
ST: Totally. In our business, you have to be lucky. Even Ken Ghosh saw me at a dance bar called 'Velocity' and that's how I got Ishq Vishq. I was walking on the streets and someone spots me and I get Delhi Belly.

DP: Maybe the next time we can walk while we talk on the streets.
ST: (laughs) Yes! Who knows you might get a role of a lifetime.

DP: Who's your favourite actress?
ST: I like Meryl Streep. From the young bunch, I like Anna Hathaway. From India, I like Tabu. She is a good actress and I like Konkana Sen Sharma.

Part 2 of 'On a Date with Shenaz Treasurywala' coming soon. Watch this space!

What I saw next was a rather creative innovation ever seen on Dates. Miss ST went one step ahead in originality. As I prepare to talk and know her, Read More">the girl interrupts. “Please have some walnuts and dates I’ve kept for you guys. I’ve prepared it myself. There are some peanuts too. I love them.Read More

What I saw next was a rather creative innovation ever seen on Dates. Miss ST went one step ahead in originality. As I prepare to talk and know her, the girl interrupts. "Please have some walnuts and dates I've kept for you guys. I've prepared it myself. There are some peanuts too. I love them. Please help yourself." We had to resist but couldn't. My photographer and I had a nibble and off we went on a dating spree. I question, Shenaz answers and the photographer kept clicking.

Devansh Patel (DP) : Can you recall your first 'Date'?
Shenaz Treasuryvala (ST) : Actually I can. It was 15th August, Independence Day. I was in my tenth grade and my dad came too.

DP: What are you saying?
ST: Yeah! I was going with this guy when I was in school. I wasn't allowed to go out with boys. I had French tuitions on that day which got cancelled. That's what I had informed my parents. So I told them that I was going for a movie with the girl gang. The French teacher calls up and informs my dad that the tuitions are on.

DP: That's like a Bollywood movie scene
ST: It was. My dad came to the theatre and while coming out of the screening, my boyfriend utters, "Shenaz, your dad!" I say, "Come on, my dad won't be here." I gave him a little smack on the back and from the other side; my dad gave me a smack on the back. How dumb was I that I told the guy, "Run! Run!" This guy was running for his life till my dad called him and asked, "How do you know my daughter?" He answers, "I don't know her sir." He fails to acknowledge me.

DP: What a date!
ST: Yes, a completely traumatic one, which is why I have a problem with the opposite sex.

DP: I'm sure keeping that in mind, you'd hate the Paula Abdul song - 'Opposites Attract'.
ST: I don't like the song but I agree with the theory.

DP: But you shouldn't, right? You just said that you have problems.
ST: I like being with the opposite sex but it's never easy. That's what I meant. Different men are different.

Meeting Shenaz, the first thing which strikes me is that she has not let any of her sudden quick regained acclaim go to her head. She has bagged, shot and treasured three Bollywood films back to back starting with Aagey Se Right, Radio and the much talked about Delhi Belly. Indeed, Read More">she is anxious toRead More

Meeting Shenaz, the first thing which strikes me is that she has not let any of her sudden quick regained acclaim go to her head. She has bagged, shot and treasured three Bollywood films back to back starting with Aagey Se Right, Radio and the much talked about Delhi Belly. Indeed, she is anxious to downplay her new-found status. Treasuryvala is sitting with her feet up on her big sofa type seating area with one colourful cushion shoved under her armpits. "I've got to touch up on a lot of things in my house, still a lot to do as I've just moved in two weeks ago", she informs. She possesses the same charm that first brought her to public attention as a host and VJ of a popular music channel. "I would never take success for granted. I feel very lucky to be working in films again. I often think, 'Don't you dare for a second moan about not being lucky! You should feel humbled and grateful for all you've got!' I want to appreciate the goings on as I'm doing them", says the confident actress.

A bird-like Shenaz Treasuryvala doesn't teeter. She walks with a lot of grace, finesse, and irrefutable charisma. Her smile was not seen for many years as she took a sabbatical. She left for the United States and studied acting. Now she is back, but hasn't lost her effervescent smile. It's still the same like the last time I saw it on the tele. In a few short years, the Mumbai born actress has been catapulted from Beverly Hills to Bombay in no time. Shenaz has porcelain fragility, a cutesy upturned nose, and lips that, while they may not be Emanuelle Beart's, still have a Gallic pout to them. True, she has the underwhelming handshake of a tranquillised lemur, but, hey, that's Shenaz Treasuryvala for you. Except, that she ain't French.

The cover of the neatly packed gift reads - Open with Care. "I'm going to tear my gift apart", Shenaz says with sheer confidence, and of course, she does it. "This is the first time I've ever got a gift from a journalist. I've never even got a gift on my previous Date". The gift box gets naked after the silver wrap comes off. It's a pair of colourful tea light holders. She smiles and informs, "These go well with my house totally. It's got this Moroccan feel to it. It a perfect fit. Thank you." In the same breath she pulls the rabbit out of the hat, "I didn't expect it to be a good gift", and she laughs out loud. I had no option. I too join in the fun.

Read More">DP: You are a jack of all trades aren’t you? ST: Yes. I have done a writing course from NYU (New York University). I’ve written a screenplay and have graduated in journalism from Singapore. I love being a student. DP: You bet. Your apartment is bang opposite a college. ST: (laughs) That’s a good observation.Read More

DP: You are a jack of all trades aren't you?
ST: Yes. I have done a writing course from NYU (New York University). I've written a screenplay and have graduated in journalism from Singapore. I love being a student.

DP: You bet. Your apartment is bang opposite a college.
ST: (laughs) That's a good observation. But I have decided now that I want to act because I think I am good in acting and I want to write screenplays.

DP: What kind of films have you grown up on?
ST: Again, my dad didn't allow me to watch the television. But I do like some English classics like Gone With The Wind and Breakfast At Tiffany's.

DP: No offence but your dad has to come every time in the picture. I hope he doesn't land up here as well (laughs)
ST: (laughs) You never know. It's a Saturday afternoon. Coming back to your answer, I used to watch a lot of foreign films. When I was growing up, I've watched a lot of plays because my mom has always been into theatres. I've been to Sophia's and Rang Bhavan a lot of times.

DP: When was the first time you thought you wanted to act?
ST: When I saw the play 'View From The Bridge". I laughed, I cried and that's when I decided to act for the first time.

ST: You've stayed in London for eight years but still haven't put on an accent. I love the British accent. It's sexy.
DP: Do I need to? I don't think so. But if you want to hear me speak sexy, I can (laughs). I love the Irish and Scottish accent.

DP: What else about your film Aagey Se Right?
ST: I was at the right place at the right time and took a right turn. My friend was at Aurus and wanted me to come there while I was chilling out at Olive. That's where Vikas Behl came up to me and said, "Where have you been? I've been looking for you." And there I was, part of the film with no audition.

DP: Where were you hiding all these years? ST: MTV happened to me while I was in college. While I was working with them, Read More">I had a bad break up and I’m an escapist type of person. I wanted to flee the country. So I left for New York and joined the acting school. IRead More

DP: Where were you hiding all these years?
ST: MTV happened to me while I was in college. While I was working with them, I had a bad break up and I'm an escapist type of person. I wanted to flee the country. So I left for New York and joined the acting school. I did a whole course there. I came back. Ishq Vishq happened. MTV took me back after saying they wouldn't. I told them I'm going for a month but stayed for a year.

DP: And let me guess...you spent all your money too?
ST: How spooky. Yes I did. I spent all the money I earned and came back. I was here for a while and did a really good show for which I had to be based in Bangkok and Hong Kong. I'm back and now I've done three films back to back.

ST: Why don't you guys have something? Shall I make green tea for you?
DP: I'd love one. Let's go and make one.

ST: But my kitchen is not good to shoot (laughs). I like my living room. I like your pink t-shirt.
DP: Oh oh! Not again. I've been told this a couple of times by my previous 'Dates'. But then, I guess, it works.

ST: It does. I like it when guys can wear pink and when they have the guts to wear red too. But a man wearing pink, well...that says everything about you.
DP: That's nice of you Shehnaz. Thank you.

ST: I need to buy some chairs so that when guests come they can sit. But you are sitting very comfortably I can see.
DP: Yeah! Sitting comfortably and enjoying the beautiful scenic location. It's my first scenic date (laughs). You are one lucky girl Shenaz.

ST: (laughs) Tell me about it. I provide the sea view. But my hair is all over my face. That's the problem with the sea breeze.
DP: You can't complaint. Come on!