Natasha Bali started off as radio presenter before deciding to pursue her passion for dancing by opening a dance academy. Winner of the reality TV dance show Humse Badkar Kaun, Natasha Bali recently landed her first role in a movie that will soon hit theatres in New Zealand. Indian Weekender spoke to this upcoming actor to know more about her, her movie and her journey so far.

IWK: Tell us a little about your dance academy.

Natasha: I have been dancing for 20 years. My dance academy Farishtah School of Dance runs in the Botany/Flat Bush area. I teach bharatnatyam, Bollywood and ballroom dancing. My tagline is: “It’s never too late to put on your dancing shoes.” I strongly believe that anyone can learn to dance at any age and I am continuously striving to encourage the youth and older generations to put on their dancing shoes. Many times, married women tend to think that there is no platform for them to showcase their talents. I like to encourage and help them.

IWK: You were the winner of Humse Badkar Kaun in 2012. Do you think reality television provides a platform for young talent?

Natasha: Yes, reality TV provides a platform for young talent by giving them the chance to showcase their art and to be appreciated by the audience. Shows such as Humse Badkar Kaun definitely allow you to build on your talents, where you have to come out of you preferred dance genre and perform other international dance forms.

IWK: Your debut movie is set to release soon. Tell us a little about it.

Natasha: I am playing the role of Maya who is one of the lead characters in the film. The movie revolves around a secret formula that whitens skin tone. Everyone is trying to steal the formula because of its expected demand. We all go through a lot of adventures to get there. It is a drama, comedy and action film with a unique and funny storyline. It premiered on January 27, and shows started screening in Damodar Event Cinemas Suva and Lautoka from January 28. This will be followed by a New Zealand and Australia release at a later date.

IWK: Why did you decide to enter the reel world?

Natasha: At a young age, I had developed a passion for dancing. Dance forms include a lot of different expressions, which involves minor acting. The interest in acting developed from there. Also, when I was in high school, my English teacher encouraged me to audition for a school production of Richard, the third. I auditioned for the role of Duchess of York and got selected.

IWK: How did you land your first role?

Natasha: I was approached by one of my friends from Fiji who is a music producer and programmer. He had found on Facebook that the film was looking for a choreographer for a dance sequence. He asked if I would be interested. The same evening I was called for a meeting with the rest of the cast and crew. My director Sridhar Kallidai asked if I would be interested in playing a role in the film instead and handed me the script. I was completely unprepared and nervous about it but gave my best shot. But Sridhar was happy and offered me the role. Before accepting, I spoke to my parents about it who thought it would be a great opportunity to try something new.