Delhi Belly has brought the change in Hindi cinema!” – Shenaz Treasuryvala

Read More">It was just one of those dull and dreary afternoons when I decided to text Shenaz Treasuryvala who is busier than a bee shuffling her career between New York and Mumbai. I receive the text saying ‘4pm Basilico’. The clock ticks and another text reads – ‘I’m under the weather so can’t do pics’. ThatRead More

It was just one of those dull and dreary afternoons when I decided to text Shenaz Treasuryvala who is busier than a bee shuffling her career between New York and Mumbai. I receive the text saying '4pm Basilico'. The clock ticks and another text reads - 'I'm under the weather so can't do pics'. That was that! But it's only when you meet Shenaz that you wish she was your girlfriend. Forget all the L'Oreals, Olays and Luxs of the world. Shenaz arrives in her unkempt bundles of conflicting emotions. Dressed in a dark blue sleeveless outfit she looked Woody's Maria Elena from Vicky Cristina Barcelona. Shenaz's spectacular energy raises hell across the beauty of Basilico's woody ambience. Sexy, smart and funny, she can feed your heart and soul in equal measure once she starts talking. We order for two glasses of 'sugarfree' melon juice without ice. The lady likes it like that. An eye-catching and an eloquent young woman whose career is sure to last long beyond the Delhi Belly's success, Shenaz is going at everything coming her way as long as it's her style. She loves being auditioned and she knows she'll nail it, and that ain't Shenaz talking, that's her confidence. More about her confidence? Not many know that it was her audition tapes of Dhobi Ghat that Kiran Rao saw which eventually got picked up by Aamir Khan and before Shenaz knew it, she was cast opposite Imran Khan in what has become a 'game changer' of Indian cinema - Delhi Belly. The actress is relentlessly focused and seems to innately want to keep the lines between the public and private quite separate. And while she does still reside in Mumbai - the place close to her heart, she frequently travels for work to America. And in between all this you question - What does Shenaz have to do to get your attention? She doesn't find the need to wear make-up, she doesn't wear anything Vuitton and nor does she have a tattoo to show off. She is just a too-good-to-be-true girl. I'm impressed!

"My first audition in the US was thanks to Poorna's agent"
I met Poorna Jagannathan during Delhi Belly. We became very good friends. Then I went to New York and met her agent. It was her agent who sent me for an audition for the show 'One Life To Live'. That was the first audition I did in the US and I got the role. During that time, I was on a holiday but I did stay behind. Now what's surprising is that two girls were shortlisted for that particular role which eventually went to Terry. But the next day they called me and told me that they were writing a special role for me only because they loved my audition. Guess what? My name on the show is Rama Patel.

Read More">“Abhinay played a prank on me on the first day of my shoot” Abhinay played a prank on me on the first day of my shoot. It was the climax scene of the film with me having a paper bag on my head. I had to cry a lot and Abhinay shot that. Then heRead More

"Abhinay played a prank on me on the first day of my shoot"
Abhinay played a prank on me on the first day of my shoot. It was the climax scene of the film with me having a paper bag on my head. I had to cry a lot and Abhinay shot that. Then he wanted to shoot it just for the sound. The moment he said 'action' I started to cry again. I was fully into it. I also got my hiccups into it (laughs). Abhinay didn't yell 'cut' and he kept rolling. Any other actor would've asked - 'is it done?' but I didn't stop. So when they finally removed the paper bag I asked Abhinay - 'Can I do this again?' and everyone burst into laughter till I realised that they were laughing at me and not with me (laughs).

"Milind Soman, Rahul Dev, Irrfan Khan and Vijay Raaz are blessed with a great face"
Some people are blessed with great faces. I think Vijay Raaz is one of them. He is terrific in the film. So natural. Irrfan Khan, Rahul Dev, Milind Soman are the best examples I can give. But Vijay was too good in Delhi Belly.

"My favourite stand up comedians are Cyrus Broacha and Cyrus Sahukar. Vir too has got a great comic timing"
I love Vir's stand up but I love Cyrus Broacha too. I love Cyrus Sahukar, Gaurav Kapur too. I've grown up with these guys. But not many know that Vir is very serious in real life. He is funny on stage. He has a great comic timing. Vir and Kunal were awesome in Delhi Belly. I also liked the dialogue where Kunal questions Vir on how he got his head shaved (laughs).

“In real life, I’d prefer a guy like Tashi with those brown eyes, oh yes!” In real life, I’d prefer a guy like Tashi with those brown eyes, oh yes! I’m not into the up-tight guys and more reserved guys. What kind of men do I like? Gosh, Read More">That’s like an open ended question. IRead More

"In real life, I'd prefer a guy like Tashi with those brown eyes, oh yes!"
In real life, I'd prefer a guy like Tashi with those brown eyes, oh yes! I'm not into the up-tight guys and more reserved guys. What kind of men do I like? Gosh, That's like an open ended question. I like all men and I'm very 'boy crazy' (laughs). I've been shaking those biscuits (laughs).

"Delhi Belly isn't abusive. It's how guys today talk"
Aamir's hit the nail on the head along with Abhinay and the writer Akshat. I think this is how today's India speaks, right? They've just done that. They've thrown the actors and made them speak their language. So it feels so 'non scripted'. I loved Kunal Roy Kapoor in the film. He's my favourite. But my favourite scene where I laughed out loud was when Vir's character was tied up to the fan when Tashi (Imran) enters. Delhi Belly isn't abusive. It's how guys today talk.

"Some boys came up to me saying that 'I wouldn't do that. I will stay with you'"
My role was written as a very nagging, unlikeable character. Sonia is very unlikeable in Delhi Belly but it was a challenge for me to make it a bit funny and not over the top too. People seemed to have liked my role too as I've been getting a lot of honest feedback. Some boys came up to me saying that 'I wouldn't do that. I will stay with you' (laughs). Ten years ago Dil Chahta Hai changed Hindi cinema. With Delhi Belly, the change is back!

"Robert Downey Jr is one of my favourite actors and he has an amazing sense of comedy"
British humour is more straight faced but I think even the American's have got their own humour going. The men in the US have a great sense of humour too and that is evident from the films they make. As far as films are concerned, from the recent ones, I've liked Last Night starring Keira Knightley, Blue Valentine starring Michelle Williams; I liked Closer a lot too. Robert Downey Jr is one of my favourite actors and he has an amazing sense of comedy.

“I want to work in India and not give up” I don’t know where my career will be headed after Delhi Belly. I want to do everything, like Anusha Dandekar (laughs). You remember that scene from Delhi Belly? (Laughs). I want to be bi-continental, Read More">I want to work in India and not give up onRead More

"I want to work in India and not give up"
I don't know where my career will be headed after Delhi Belly. I want to do everything, like Anusha Dandekar (laughs). You remember that scene from Delhi Belly? (Laughs). I want to be bi-continental, I want to work in India and not give up on India. My family is here, friends, etc. I feel more validated here. I like working in the US. I am in New York and not in L.A. So I'm not in Hollywood and if I do want to pursue my career in Hollywood then I'll have to migrate to L.A. and that sounds pretty daunting as of now.

"US has a fair audition process. In India we have to select them from the newspapers"
What I like about the US is that the audition process is very fair compared to that of India. There is a lot of competition out there too but it's fair. In India though, you have to be top of mind. People will flip through the pages of the daily newspapers and select which actor or actress they want. Words like 'She's hot', 'She's got a great body', etc galore (laughs). India is living in a 'fresh face' mentality too.

"Aamir told me that I am acting like a school girl who has a crush and who's distractingly pretty"
I am in love with Aamir. He has been so good to me I can't tell you. From the first day when I met him, he said such nice things to me I am embarrassed to even repeat them (laughs). I sound so silly (laughs). He told me that I am acting like a school girl who has a crush and who's distractingly pretty. Even after the movie released his praises haven't stopped. He said there is not one false note in my acting. A few days ago he made a toast to everybody and he said, "...and here's to Shenaz to being fearless". He was so right. I love doing comedy and the biggest high I get is when I laugh out loud.