Q

You spent your first few years of life on a merchant marine cargo ship traveling from country to country and you've hosted Culture Shock on the Travel Channel where you went in search of peculiar customs and bizarre traditions in India and Thailand.  So, considering what other countries offer, what makes India unique and interesting as a destination?

A
 India is not a country but a sub-continent with different languages, foods, religions, traditions and geography. There is so much variety in India, so much to see and discover, I could truly live my whole life here and still never truly know everything about it.  From the spectacular Himalayas to the backwaters of Kerela to the beaches of Goa, the palaces and stark desert of mystical Rajasthan. India is a like a never-ending mystical and mythical storybook full of colourful stories loaded with history.  A visit to India is an experience that is unique to all your senses. This is the only country where you will find a Ferrari and a bullock cart on the same road. A snake charmer who has a mobile phone and camel traders selling their camels in front of a Gucci billboard.



Q
 For decades, people around the world have seen the US largely through the lens of the media, especially Hollywood movies which don't necessarily reflect everyday life in America.  Now that Indian films are becoming more popular outside of India, how do you think the Bollywood image of India compares to what people will actually see and experience in India?
A
 Bollywood is about dreaming.  The films depict a fantasy-like, rich look, trendy locations (mostly out of India) and designer clothes worn by young men and women who are constantly in search of authentic Indian values. Yes, dance and song is very much part of our culture, the colourful clothes that the actors wear is often imitated on the street but it would be unfair to say you can know India by watching Bollywood movies 'cause these films represent Indian imagination, dreams and fantasy but isn't the true reflection of the the real India. You got to experience India to see it.



Q

As an insider, what are your recommendations for things to do in Mumbai that are off the beaten path and not the usual tourist stops?

A

Make sure you are in Mumbai during Ganpati (elephant God festival, most extravagantly celebrated in Bombay), hang out with our city's unique transvestites called hijras (note: this may scare some.)  Check out Dhobi Ghaat, Asia's largest outdoor launderette. No visit to Mumbai is complete without visiting Chor bazaar (thieves market). Participate in a Yoga class at Isckcon temple. Must try Mumbai's famous, bhel puri, veda paos and paan on the streets. Visit Film City where lots of Bollywood movies are shot. Participate in a laughter session to free you from all your worries at 6am at Joggers Park in Bandra. Learn some Hinglish from the locals. Try driving from North Bombay to Soth Bombay (at your own risk). Travel by local train.




Q

Where would you tell someone to go (in India) to escape to a more natural environment from Mumbai and the rest of India's cities?

A

The lagoons and backwaters of Kerela, the mystical deserts of Rajasthan and the peaks and valleys of Himachal Pradesh.




As the daughter of a merchant marine, Shenaz Treasuryvala was born a traveler. Spending the first few years of her life on a cargo ship, she got used to waking up in a different country every morning. After a photographer discovered her in Mumbai, virtually overnight Shenaz became one of India’s most recognized faces.  She became a household name on MTV Asia where she hosted shows for the network across Asia and the Middle East.

 

In 2001, Shenaz took a break from television and moved to New York to study acting at the Lee Strasberg institute.  But while she was there, Bollywood beckoned her back and she returned to star in a film called Ishq Vishk. The film went on to be a huge Asia-wide box office phenomenon and Shenaz’s film career took off.

 

Along the way, Shenaz never lost her travel bug. Any time off she had, she would sneak away to explore far off lands and distant cultures; she wrote travel articles for magazines such as Elle, Cosmo and Femina.  She continues to be one of the most popular actresses and TV hosts in South Asia and a well-loved youth icon in India and the Middle East.  Shenaz currently lives in Mumbai.