Picking Bollywood dance like brushing teeth: Hazel Keech

Bollywood's typical latkas and jhatkas aren't everyone's cup of tea. But for British-Indian actor Hazel Keech, who has grooved to an item number in an upcoming movie, it was as easy as brushing her teeth.

Bollywood's typical latkas and jhatkas aren't everyone's cup of tea. But for British-Indian actor Hazel Keech, who has grooved to an item number in an upcoming movie, it was as easy as brushing her teeth.

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"I am a professional dancer, so picking up dance steps was like brushing my teeth," Hazel told IANS.

The actor, who played the boyfriend-snatching best friend of Kareena Kapoor in blockbuster Bodyguard, will now be seen shaking a leg in an item number in Kabeer Kaushik's film Maximum.

A sneak peek of the film will soon be showcased at the forthcoming International Indian Film Academy (IIFA) weekend and awards, to be held in Singapore June 7-9. The film's lead actor Sonu Sood went to great lengths to acquire the Hindi rights of the Tamil chartbuster for the film.

"Aa Ante was in Malayalam and Tamil. It's just that the words are in Hindi now and the singer is the same. It is a very energetic song filled with complete nautanki and masala," said Hazel.

The 24-year-old was born in Essex in north-east London, to an English father and an Indian mother. She started her acting career at a tender age of 12 with small roles in Hollywood films, and has even worked in three editions of Harry Potter series.

She is delighted with Bollywood's warm welcome, but says her struggle here has also taught her a lot of lessons. "Bollywood has taught me a lot of lessons. Sometimes it has been very hard, but every struggle and obstacle that I overcame, made me stronger and made me more aware," she said.

"Some people in the industry have been very welcoming and warm and I am lucky to have met such nice people. Others have taught me lessons. The lessons are just like the ones you learn when you grow up -- don't trust whoever you meet and don't take everybody's advice. Sometimes some people don't want you to do well, but it's fine as such is life," added Hazel.

She never decided which industry she should join, but feels fate brought her to India. "I hadn't made up my mind whether I had to do Hollywood or Bollywood films because I loved both and I grew up on both. So I am glad that Bollywood chose me. I've been to India before on holidays and what brought me and kept me is, I feel, destiny," said Hazel, who has also worked in Tamil film Billa.

She says the southern industry is more organised than Bollywood, and admits that her Tamil film was more challenging as speaking Hindi for Bodyguard was easy.