Shenaz Treasurywala is an Indian model, travel writer, and actress. 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.
Background
Born the daughter of a Merchant Navy captain, Shenaz spent the first seven years of her life traveling the globe on board cargo ships carrying potatoes, onions and rice. After completing her school she enrolled in St. Xavier's College. It was during her first year in this college that she was discovered by a photographer.
Career
She started her career as a model and has appeared in TV commercials like Gold Spot, Philips, Trigger Jeans, Akai, Elle 18, and many more. She then started working as a Veejay for MTV.
During 2001 Shenaz moved to New York, USA, to enroll in the Lee Strasberg Theater & Film Institute, as well as taking a writing course at New York University. She was thrilled to complete this 8 month course in the same school as Al Pacino and Robert De Niro.
She made quite a dramatic entry into Bollywood after she lost her luggage, passport and visa papers while traveling by Kuwait Airways and as result was unable to return to New York. This incident proved to be an advantage as she was approached by Ken Ghosh, who signed her up for a role in 'Ishq Vishk', for which she was nominated for the best supporting actress. She has since then acted in a total of several other movies.
She is also host on Travel Channel's 'Culture Shock', and has written travel articles in magazines which include Cosmopolitan, Femina, and Elle.
Shenaz became a household name on MTV Asia at a very young age. Her most popular show, 'MTV Most Wanted' was the highest rated show on MTV for years and MTV often jokingly complained they had no space for her fan mail. She was on MTV Asia for 8 years hosting every show, based in Hong Kong, Singapore and Mumbai.
After this phenomenal success, Shenaz left India for Hong Kong to act in a comedy show called 'MTV Whatever Things', which was the highest-rated show in South East Asia.
After 'Culture Shock', Shenaz returned to India and hosted, 'The Laughter Challenge' on Star TV and the 'Unforgettable Tour' (Bachchan World Tour) on NDTV Imagine.
She played lead roles in 'Umar' 'Aagey Se Right' and 'Radio'.
She is playing a lead character of Rama Patel in one of America's longest running soap operas, 'One Life To Live'. Both she and her character are now household names amongst the soap watchers. This Femme Fatale has recently developed a huge fan base in America and is regularly on the cover of all the soap magazines.
Shenaz is also a screenplay writer and her first film, "Luv Ka The End" was produced by Yash Raj Films during 2011.
She has also acted in 'Delhi Belly' opposite Imran Khan which turned out to be the biggest hit of 2011 in India. Its been talked about as a cult film in which she plays a sassy sexy Air Hostess.
Shenaz also acted in a few independent American films, resides in New York but does shuttle back and forth between the U.S. and India - depending on filming schedules - and calls herself 'Trans-Continental'.