Subash Ghai’s Kisna might have sunk without a trace, but there’s no way you missed the light-eyed beauty, Isha Sharvani, who swayed with much grace on the screen, romancing Vivek Oberoi. As a child, whenever her mother, dancer-choreographer Daksha Sheth Sharvani, took her to a restaurant or other public space, Isha used to give an impromptu dance performance. “My mum taught me contemporary dance and later I picked Kathak, Kalaripayattu, Malkhamb (a sport that combines gymnastics and dance) and Mayurbhanj (a form of martial arts),” says Isha who’s also trained in Yoga. Her father co-directs her mother’s and her plays while her younger brother is a musician, composer and percussionist.
The 29-year-old quit school at age 13 to be a full-time dancer. “Most parents might have been distraught at the idea of their ward quitting school. But not mine. They understood that I wanted to be different and that I would deal with the responsibility of my decision to quit school,” she explains. Though she discontinued her studies, Isha says she was home-schooled and also taught herself a lot. “Except for a maths tutor, I have always been teaching myself.”
She is the lead dancer in The Daksha Sheth Dance Company and has been a participant on Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa (season 5), a BBC India production.
She says she consciously didn’t try to make dancing or acting her career. “I liked dancing, and a career as a dancer entranced me. I enjoy the lifestyle of a dancer and I am lucky to find work as a full-time dancer.” Perennially questioned about which takes more precedence in her life, dancing or acting, she says, “I hate to confine my work in such boundaries. As an artist, I hope to grow with every project. That is all.”
Isha has acted in a handful of Bollywood flicks including U, Me aur Hum, Luck by Chance and the bilingual David and of late has been into Malayalam movies. She has worked in 5 Sundarikal and is now filming Amal Neerad’s Kunjali Marakkar.
Speaking about her influences, her parents, without a doubt, come first. “My parents, having walked the unconventional path in their life, are a major inspiration,” she says, adding, “All great artists and singers, right from Michael Jackson to actor Russell Crowe inspire me.”
Being a celebrity, Isha is constantly under the spotlight. How does she unwind? “I emotionally lean on my parents. More than that, it is your conviction that matters. You have chosen this life and you need to stick by it. Having made Thiruvananthapuram my base, I live in a tiny village on the outskirts. It is so beautiful and it relaxes me instantly. I read books, listen to music, cook, paint and travel as much as I can. Of course, nothing beats dancing. It is most therapeutic for me,” says Isha, who dances for about eight hours a day. When her performances earn her awards, naturally she’s excited. “It feels great when society appreciates your craft.”
Isha is passionate about travelling, and of the 20-plus countries she has visited, she picks Japan, Indonesia (Bali), Germany, Australia and the US as her favourites. “I have always been accorded a good welcome by these nations. Artists are well-respected,” she says. Not being on Facebook or Twitter, Isha mainly networks through emails. “I hardly network,” she laughs. You can still catch her on www.ishasharvani.com.
— shilpa.vasudevan@newindianexpress.com