Sharanya

Q. Tell us a little bit about you.
A. I was born in India and came to the U.S. when I was 6 months old. I grew up in Orange County and am currently finishing up my Bachelors Degree at UCLA. I went to UCLA because I am majoring in Psychology and their Psychology Department is ranked # 4 in the nation. I also went there because it is close to home, and there are a lot of exciting things to do in LA!

Q. Why did you start modeling or seek a career in entertainment?
A. I started modeling because first of all, I enjoy it so much! But second, I am a very petite girl, about 5’2” in height and its been a constant challenge for me in the entertainment industry because they usually prefer the tall, beautiful, slender bodies. I want to break that stereotype and be different and show that “great things come in SMALL packages”!!

Q. Are you disappointed with the lack of Indian Americans in the American entertainment industry? Do you think the landscape will change?
A. I have been disappointed in the past because it is quite evident that there is a lack of Indian Americans in the American entertainment industry. However, I see this changing in the near future, mainly because of the newly established friendship between the US and India.

Q. Speak about the importance of the Indian community. Does it play a role in your career?
A. The Indian community is a very important part of my life. I am a Bengali girl and have been very closely attached to the Bengali Association of Southern California (BASC) from a young age. Being raised in the US and having to maintain my cultural traditions has been a challenge. However, this Bengali community and my classical Indian dance training made this process so much easier. I have learned to speak, read and write Hindi, Bengali and Oriya and I have learned about ancient texts, rituals and traditions that I continue to follow even today. This has helped me build my foundation of who I am today and without it, I am nothing.

Q. What features do you get the most compliments on?
A. I get a lot of compliments on my eyes because people say they find them to be quite expressive.

Q. Do you ever feel insecure about the way you look?
A. Of course! I’m sure everyone does but then I realize that everyone has flaws and I make the best of it. After all, I can’t change the way I look but if I feel confident about myself internally, that aura is exuded on the outside.

Q. What do you look for in a guy?
A. A caring, giving, and loving personality. I find many men having ego issues and that’s a complete turn off for me. The more a guy does for me, the more I want to do for them.

Q. How do you stay in shape, what type of exercise, what type of food do you eat? Is there anything that you love to eat, but can’t because it would add unwanted pounds?
A. I absolutely LOVE to do yoga! It is one of my favorite ways to work out because it provides a feeling of stability and focus and adds a lot of strength to my body. I have my daily dosage of vegetables and I eat a lot of protein, either chicken or tofu. I crave chocolate a lot and it is hard to stay away from it, but I try my best!

Q. What are your hobbies?
A. My hobbies include dancing, choreographing, cooking and painting. I have been trained in different types of dance like Odissi, hip-hop, bollywood, ballet, etc and it’s so exciting to fuse these styles together and trying to come up with something new! Painting relieves stress and so far I have experimented with oil and acrylic art.

Q. What makes you happy?
A. Food! I love to try exotic dishes especially when I am out traveling! Traveling makes me happy too because it gives me the opportunity to see the beautiful places, things, etc that the world has to offer.