Shenaz Treasuryvala is an Indian actress, TV host, writer, and travel vlogger.
Discovered by a photographer during her first year in college, her first modeling assignment was for the soft drink Gold Spot. She also did advertising work for Akai and Philips before MTV Networks Asia hired her to work as a VJ on the MTV’s Most Wanted program.
Her acting debut was in the 2001 Telugu film Eduruleni Manishi, followed by the 2003 Bollywood film Ishq Vishk, which earned her a nomination for the best supporting actress award by the Filmfare Film Awards. With her lifelong love of travel, she wrote travel articles for Cosmopolitan, Elle, and Femina.
Women Fitness joins the travel enthusiast Shenaz Treasuryvala in her journey to some beautiful destinations and much more!
Ms. Namita Nayyar:
From receiving a Filmfare nomination for your debut to writing travel articles for Cosmopolitan and Femina, you had a journey of your own; Tell us which phase of your journey have you enjoyed the most?
Ms. Shenaz Treasuryvala:
Yes, I’ve had many careers, I think I’ve had five careers. One was I started with modelling then I started doing ads. I just got picked up from college to do that. Then MTV calls me. Even from the ads, they found me. They called me to audition. Then I was on MTV. Then I went to New York, lost my bags. MTV was mad at me, threw me out, and I happened to be in a nightclub when I got Ishq Vishq. So everything that happened kind of happened by chance and fate. I did that.
Then I went to USA, I acted there. I did quite a lot there, actually. I did a soap opera there. I did a show called Nightly Show. I did Shoots, & Netflix. So did quite a few things. And then I decided, I’m done with America. I want to come back to India. Meanwhile, I’d started this Instagram page. I had started travelling and making these little videos just as a hobby. And suddenly brands started calling me and telling me to do brand placements. And I didn’t know what it was, but I was like, oh, I did give so many years to acting. Let me try this. And in between I wrote a screenplay “Luv ka the end” for Y Films, so I’ve lost track how many careers I’ve had. And then I am writing a book right now. So I actually like to do everything under the umbrella of creative and enjoy everything I do. Every phase is fun.
I love this phase because I can do everything in this phase, which is writing, acting, editing, shooting. I do it all the time. I’m writer, director, and producer. Everything on my video’s on Instagram and YouTube and Facebook. This is really fun. I am enjoying this phase the most. At least that’s what I feel right now. I think I’m also more relaxed as a person too, you know, as you get older, you get more relaxed.
This interview is exclusive and taken by Namita Nayyar, President womenfitness.org and should not be reproduced, copied or hosted in part or full anywhere without an express permission.
All Written Content Copyright © 2020 Women Fitness Org
Ms. Namita Nayyar:
Since you are a face from the entertainment industry people tend to recognize you, tell us does it hamper you’re travelling ventures?
Ms. Shenaz Treasuryvala:
No, not at all, not at all, in fact, it’s an honour when people recognize me and ask me to come and ask me to take a picture with them. I feel honoured that they appreciate and like my work.
Ms. Namita Nayyar:
You have spoken about mental health on your page, do you feel in India still people don’t talk about mental health more openly and it is considered a taboo?
Ms. Shenaz Treasuryvala:
I cover mental health in my videos a lot. I feel it’s important. Like, for example, this quarantine time. It’s a very trying time. And I do pride myself for feeling that I am mentally strong and I am able to, be happy. And I feel like, of course, I’ve gone through phases of up and down and happiness and sadness and a lot. So I would like to share that. And I feel like to make myself have a purpose in this world. Like for me, I want to feel my purpose in this world is to spread positivity and happiness and to serve and do good. And that’s like my mantra. And so everything I do, I want to. I kind of think of that purpose and I do it. So every video I make, everything I make is on that purpose.
Ms. Namita Nayyar:
Since you are travelling most of the time, how do you maintain your diet and stay fit?
Ms. Shenaz Treasuryvala:
Pretty particular about what I eat. I never eat junk food. If I just let go and eat everything, I am usually fat. So I think I was a fat kid. And, I work out I’m active every day when I’m traveling. I’m walking from night to day. So I’m pretty active, you know, I don’t have to exercise, exercise consists of grand hikes or swimming or trying some new sport like surfing. So that’s taken care of when I travel. And then food wise I don’t eat sugar, I don’t eat bread, flour, wheat, wheat sometimes. But yeah, these are the things I stay away from.
And I’m mostly vegetarian. I only eat fish sometimes and I eat eggs sometimes, but mostly like right now in quarantine and haven’t had anything no eggs no fish. And I like staying light, active. I turned vegetarian two years ago when I started this whole travel. Of course, when I’m traveling, sometimes there is no vegetarian food. And if there’s something that’s really special and that’s non veg and, you know, there’s nothing else to eat I’ll have a little of that.
Ms. Namita Nayyar:
Since you have travelled so much if given a chance to settle in one place hypothetically which one that would be?
Ms. Shenaz Treasuryvala:
Chosen to live in India and make it my base, I’ve lived in many parts of the world, actually, I lived in Singapore with MTV, Bangkok, and Hong Kong. I’ve lived in L.A. for a short period. I’ve lived in New York for seven years. I’ve lived a lot everywhere. I even gave up my green card because I realized how much I love India. I love Indian people more than India. I just love that the people are so warm, loving and tolerant. You’ll need to realize that and be patient. You only realize that once you leave the country. When I was younger, I always wanted to live abroad somewhere more beautiful and cool. But now I’m just like, I’m very happy to be here. And I think I live here mostly.
Ms. Namita Nayyar:
Many people consider travel vlogging as an expensive career option, 3 suggestions you would like to give to the budget travellers?
Ms. Shenaz Treasuryvala:
You don’t have to travel far. Traveling can be anything, it can be like getting in a cycle and exploring another side of your neighbourhood. So you don’t have to go very far. Especially now after this whole Corona outbreak. I hope people will travel more within India and traveling can be fun whether its budget or luxury.
Ms. Namita Nayyar:
You look flawless in all your travel pictures, Share any 2 makeup and hair hacks while travelling?
Ms. Shenaz Treasuryvala:
Makeup and hair hacks during travel is no makeup. I actually don’t wear makeup if you notice, I literally don’t like makeup.
I used to be an actor and had to face what was it like, make me sit down in that vanity van and put makeup on me for like an hour, sometimes an hour and a half and I’d be so irritated and dying to get up and just get out of that chair. And so that’s the thing. I hate being inside and sitting. So that’s why I love what I do now. I don’t have to wear makeup if I don’t want to. I don’t need to. I don’t wear makeup. I don’t really do my hair. My mom would be upset. I just brush my hair, wash my face, and I’m out of the house. I’m out traveling.
That’s my hack.
Ms. Namita Nayyar:
You call your page as “Happiness Project”, Ideology behind it, you would like to share?
Ms. Shenaz Treasuryvala:
I feel like I mean, all of us go through ups and downs, but I think that I’ve been through a lot of ups and downs and I kind of figured out how to manage my downs to be up and happy. I really believe that if you put on a smile, you trick your brain into being happy and you are happy. And so I feel like I want to actually make even more motivational videos. And I like to talk about this mental health subject. And that’s why I call it the Happiness Project. Also, what I do, like traveling, whatever videos I make, sometimes funny or inspirational, it is my happiness project, brings me happiness for sure. And I hope I can bring other people happiness and a smile as well.
Ms. Namita Nayyar:
Lastly, what are your upcoming future plans and projects considering the pandemic has affected the tourism industry?
Ms. Shenaz Treasuryvala:
No travel plans. I’m here in my home. I’ve also started making dating videos on my YouTube, Instagram, and Facebook. So check them out. See, the thing is, I can make videos on anything. So I’m not making travel videos. I can make videos on something else. I really enjoy romance and dating. Actually, that’s what my book is about as well and I was thinking, hey, I want to start making it. Isn’t that now? Well, we have to stay home. So I have that opportunity.
So now nobody can be like, how come you just moved from travelling to dating? No. They’re like, OK. She can’t travel, so she’s making dating, but I actually wanted to make dating videos for a while as well.
And of course, when it opens up, I will have the travel bug again. Like I said, I’ll make videos on anything except cooking. I’ll leave that for someone else.
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This interview is exclusive and taken by Namita Nayyar, President womenfitness.org and should not be reproduced, copied or hosted in part or full anywhere without an express permission.
All Written Content Copyright © 2020 Women Fitness Org