She’s been the VJ of MTV’s most popular show Most Wanted . She has also been paired with Imran Khan in the runaway hit, adult comedy film Delhi Belly . But did you know that she’s the first Indian actress to write, produce and host a quirky travel show Culture Shock on the Discovery Travel Channel in the U.S.? Or that she was the screenplay writer of Yashraj Films’ youth movie Luv Ka The End ? And that she is the first Indian girl to be part of one of America's longest running soap operas, One Life To Live ? Shenaz Treasurywala sure has had an eventful career in India and the U.S.
The host-actress-model-writer is now ready to hit the silver screen once again with her upcoming film Main Aur Mr Right where she plays the protagonist. The film is about a girl who is very picky and is looking for her Mr Perfect. “ Main Aur Mr Right is about a girl who is looking for perfection. She strives for perfection herself and is searching for a partner who is the same. The film is about her journey. She meets many men, but always finds something wrong with them. Her friends tease her that she will always be single, but she believes she will find her Mr Right. But is there such a thing as Mr Right?” says Shenaz.
Infectious smile
The character is nowhere close to what she is in real life, Shenaz confesses! “My character is actually quite the opposite of me. She is PERFECT. Her hair, clothes, her home, her office, everything is in place. She is easily irritated and knows exactly what she wants. She has a short temper and rarely smiles. I find the not smiling part quite hard,” says the girl, who is known for her infectious smile.
Shenaz started her career as a model and was seen in commercials such as Gold Spot, Philips, Trigger Jeans, Akai and Elle 18. Fame came along with with MTV’s Most Wanted which was the highest rated show on the channel then. She made her acting debut in the 2001 Telugu film Eduruleni Manishi and teamed up with Shahid Kapoor in Ishq Vishk . She was also seen with music composer-turned-actor Himmesh Reshamiya in Radio . The girl, who is trained in method acting from the Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute in New York, and has studied screenplay writing at the New York University, says that while she is “aching to host a show as she has not hosted anything in a while, writing is what she always wanted to do. Actually, acting and hosting shows just happened on the way and I will do it till it lasts and then concentrate on writing.”
Shenaz is currently part of the soap opera One Life To Live where she plays an Indian wife Rama Patel opposite actor Nick Choksi. She says she juggles both worlds hence she chooses films where she likes the script and not necessarily big banner films. “I do films where I like the script and I liked this script ( Main Aur Mr Right ). My career as an actress in the U.S. is actually taking off quite well.”
The Yashraj experience
Shenaz says the Yashraj experience was one to cherish. She had actually written a different script about a bunch of girls who were in their late-20s. “Yashraj liked my writing style and they had a concept in mind, so they hired me to write. That’s how Luv Ka The End was born. It was fantastic working with them. They are very professional. For the first time, I did not have to ask for my cheque. It was sent home, in time,” she says.
The talented girl, who has featured in the recently released indie romantic comedy Excuse Me For Living by Ric Klass, is now gearing up to host a 3D dance show.
