Screen Charmer

While just 14 and studying to become a scientologist, Sheena Chohan walked the ramp for Ritu Kumar. Yearning to become an actor, she bided her time, doing advertisements for Titan, Wella, Thums Up, Samsung, Sony Bravo, Amway, Airtel, M.A.C and also took part in and won several beauty pageant titles – ‘Miss Kolkata in 2007, ‘I am Voice’ at the ‘I Am She’ beauty pageant in 2010.

The former state-level swimmer from Kolkata remembers how her mother encouraged her to do everything. “She put me in martial arts school, I played violin for the school orchestra group and was a part of contemporary dance group too.”

Despite her early achievements, she continued to feel that something was amiss and did theatre with Arvind Gaur and India Habitat Centre, becoming the brand ambassador for a theatrical project Delhi Drama. Since she ‘loved films and the art of acting’, she joined Anupam Kher’s acting school – a platform that got her a groundbreaking debut in the South with a lead role opposite Mammootty in Train.

This year, Sheena who is the face of the Bangladesh Premiere League, is busy with shooting for the lead roles in two (Mukti and Patralekha) of the 13 short Hindi films by Buddhadeb Dasgupta on the works of Rabindranath Tagore. “I am an artiste and art has no religion. I am open to any cinema as long as it appeals to my creative pursuits,” she says.

Sheena goes to Kolkata at every chance she gets. “Mumbai has been very kind to me. I’ve met some fantastic people here. The city is bustling with life but nothing can beat Kolkata’s puckha, muri, chaat, rolls, rosogolla and sandesh. I have a sweet tooth but I work out every day to stay fit.”