How did your journey with dance start?
My dance journey only started because my mother pushed me into it. I always seemed to like dancing, acting and the camera, so my mom decided that I should dance, because I was good at it. She would bribe me to go to dance classes initially and by the time I was eight, I seemed to like it. I ended up spending the next few decades of my life dancing and travelling the country and outside too, learning and dancing my way into this life, which I now absolutely love.

You run a studio in Bangalore – tell us about that?
A friend of mine, Amanda Puravankara, and I run this studio in Bangalore. It’s called Tryst Studios and it is a luxury fitness club. It brought both our passions for fitness and dance together.

You’ve had quite the journey in TV — from competitions to Bigg Boss and more; what have been your favourite takeaways?
My TV journey has been a struggle. Most people do not see the struggle one goes through — but take my word, it’s been hard. I don’t have a godfather and it’s all been my own hard work. I live alone, pay my own bills and so it’s been pretty tough. But I am thankful to all my TV experiences for making me who I am. If they were easier, I might not have learnt as much as I did.

What can we see you in next?  Any plans for movies?
Incidentally, I am in talks for a Kannada movie and I hope to announce it soon. I also plan to make a dance-based Kannada movie and I’m super excited about that too. I have worked in Kannada serials and films as a child artiste, so this isn’t new to me.

You’re considered a very sensuous dancer — are you okay with the tag?
I have always gravitated towards sensuous pieces and it just so happened that most of my pieces, so far, have been pretty sensuous. I am absolutely okay with the tag and I own every bit of my sensuality.

Industry experts say you have the art of flirting with the camera/audience — is that a natural part of you?
Haha. Yes, I have heard this a lot. But this is me just me being me. I wouldn’t deny it. I am actually kind of proud of it.

What is sexy according to you?
Being sexy according to me is just being yourself, being confident and knowing your plus points. You might have a lovely smile, or you might have great oratorical skills or you might just be sartorially fabulous — just embracing who you are and not trying to be someone else makes anyone sexy.

You seem to be a fitness enthusiast — what are your fitness fundas?
I am a fitness enthusiast for sure, I like being in shape, but that’s kind of hard for someone like me. I am a food lover too and being a pure South Indian, I need my rice! So, I put on weight easily. So to kind of balance it out, I need to work out and ensure I stay fit.

We’ve noticed your penchant for bikes — want to tell us more about that?
It’s more like a penchant for anything that moves — cars, bikes, segways — name it and I like it. I love being on empty highways in a car — the thrill is something else altogether. I wanted to be a car blogger, but life took me elsewhere.