Shenaz, who's been a part of an American TV show for the past two years, is currently in Mumbai to shoot for a film. "It's a fun script and I am excited to be back in the thick of things in Bollywood, " says Shenaz. She spoke to CS about straddling the best of both industries.
Itchy feet
I enjoy being trans-continental. I believe I can live and work between India and the US. I like living in two worlds. Life is exciting!
Being a vagabond is in my genes, and with all the travel I've done and the countries I've lived in, I am not able to settle down in one place.
Why should I when I can live everywhere? I have always had itchy feet and the desire to explore. Everytime things get monotonous, I move countries. And then when I come back, I'm a fresh face again (laughs).
Role play
I think I can pull off any role. Being on a daily show, and shooting five days a week for the past two years has definitely made me a more confident and competent actress. Nothing works better than experience.
I had pages of dialogues to remember and had to be quick on my feet and now I don't think there is any role I cannot play. Having said that, my favourite is comedy. I think that is my forte!
I also did a one woman solo show on stage, in New York. It got a lot of laughs. It was about the life of a Bollywood actress. I wrote it for the US audience.
Life in the Big Apple
What I loved about New York was the access to some great writing and acting schools, which helped me hone my craft. So after my shoot, I'd be rushing off forclasses every evening.
I also tried to take as much advantage of the theatre and the museums as I could. I feel that I have had so much creative growth in the past two years. The flip side was that I always felt that I needed to do something in NYC, and that I was wasting my time. I feel more peaceful after coming to Bombay.
Moreover, I lived alone and had to do all the household chores on my own; cook, clean and wash dishes. That's the worst, I hate washing dishes more than anything else.
I had a walk-up apartment in New York – three flights up, and I had to carry my bags, groceries, suitcases everything up and down by myself. When I got here and the driver carried my bag up the stairs, I almost kissed him. I feel we Indian girls are spoilt for their choices (giggles).
