Assistant dancer to lead actor: Daisy Shah overwhelmed by Bollywood

Mumbai: Actress Daisy Shah says that having started as a humble assistant dancer, she feels overwhelmed to be one of the leading ladies of a commercially successful franchise like "Race 3".

Daisy told IANS: "When I look at the film's poster, I feel so surreal thinking about my journey. I was one of the assistant dancers of 'Race' 10 years ago, and now I am one of the lead actors of 'Race 3', where I have got a chance to share screen space with some of the legends of our country like Anil Kapoor and Salman Khan. I am overwhelmed."

She began her tryst with showbiz as an assistant dancer under ace choreographer Ganesh Acharya. Daisy first worked with Salman in the film "Tere Naam" as a dancer.

Emphasising on the importance of luck to grow in the entertainment industry, Daisy said: "Luck plays an important role in Bollywood. We all work really hard to earn success but our luck has to be on the right side, especially from where I come from.

"I started from zero, really. It is about meeting the right people at the right time that makes you go where you do. And I know that in our industry, everyone works hard but not everyone gets recognition. Perhaps that is why I am quite compassionate towards people on a film set, including technicians...because I know I was one of them a while ago," said the actress.

In "Race 3", Daisy essays Sanjana, a strong-headed extrovert woman. In real life, Daisy is quite the opposite.

"I am more of an introvert person who is a little shy to get into random chat. I would rather observe people silently. My character is a quite 'out there' person," she said.

For the movie, releasing on Friday, she went through extensive training in kickboxing.

"The film has action sequences and my training in kickboxing really helped to gain good reflex. I started my training in kickboxing a year ago because I wanted to learn it. Eventually, it helped me to get things right in the film," she said.

As "Race 3" is helmed by Remo D'souza -- also a well-known choreographer -- asked if she wishes to work on a dance movie with him considering her love for the dance form, she said: "I had a brief chat with Remo sir, but of course we need a right script to collaborate in a film.

"I so wish to dance with Varun Dhawan in a dance film. Hopefully, someday the wish will be fulfilled."