Salman sir's nature is just like my father's: Daisy Shah

Daisy Shah is a Gujarati with a Catholic name as her dad was raised in Sion among Catholics. She considers herself the boy in the family and is emotional, sensitive and responsible. She has been constantly working ever since she dropped out of college and given a chance, she would love to sleep. Her being good-hearted may just be one of the big reasons for the good-hearted Salman Khan to have chosen her for his upcoming film with a heart, Jai Ho. In her first-ever interview, after being hand-picked by Salman, she talks to TOI about the similarity of Salman's nature with her father, her special connection with Salim Khan and the accident that changed her life. Excerpts:

Not much is known about you. How did Salman Khan find you?
I am a Gujarati, born and brought up in Mumbai. My dad worked as a floor manager in a clothing mill in Dombivli and my mom is a housewife. After my 10th, we had this Miss Dombivli contest in a mall, where I won the Miss Photogenic title. The ramp choreographer had some contacts with the film industry and a few days later, I got a call from him saying that he wanted me to do a role, where I would be standing as a part of the crowd and would be given 600 for two days work. I was happy to do that. A few days later, he called me to be a part of a crowd again in a Sunny Deol song. It was raining heavily and so four of the dancers for the song had not turned up. Ganesh Acharya was the choreographer and he asked my coordinator to give him four girls out of us, who had been hired as extras to stand as the crowds behind, in the song. I shot as a dancer for one day, where Ganesh Acharya spotted me and he asked me to join his group. I was his group dancer for two-and-a-half years, after which I started assisting him. As an assistant, my job was to learn the steps from Ganesh and then teach it to the others, for them to practise. While dancing for me was fun, becoming a choreographer was not something I wanted to do. A choreographer had to take the pressure of pleasing the director, producer and the actor and that is not what I could do. I started modelling for ads, where I got spotted and was offered a Kannada film in 2010. I have always gone with the flow and for me, any job is good. Post completing shooting of the film, I returned to Mumbai for a few months, when Ganesh was choreographing the song for Dabangg, which is where Salman sir saw me. I had worked with him earlier too and he asked me what I had been doing. I told him about my Kannada film and showed him my pictures. He offered me the role of Kareena's friend in Bodyguard. I was reluctant and in two minds, as I was not comfortable doing the role, but I was also super scared of saying no to him. But I had to follow my gut feeling and said no to him. On the face of it, he said okay to me, but he later told me that he was super pissed with me at that time. I went back to doing South films, till I again got a call from Salman sir asking me to come and audition for Jai Ho.

Whose decision was it to select you?
Salman sir and Sohail bhai later told me that while they were initially hesitating to take me, it was Salim uncle who made them take the decision and told them, 'Go with your gut feel. I have seen the screen test. I like the girl, so what's the problem?' In fact, Salman sir was the last one to say an okay to me. I was told just one day before shooting that I was in the film. I had auditioned and it was a unanimous decision of the family. I am not expressive in real life. I was having dinner with Salman sir's family when I was told that I had been given the role. And I said, 'Really?' And then said, 'Okay.' They said, 'Show us some excitement that you are happy.' I was actually very happy, but I'm not expressive. The biggest belief I have is that destiny plays a big role and knew that like my dad's death and my scar on the forehead, this too must have been destined.

SOURCE: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/hindi/bollywood/news-interviews/Salman-sirs-nature-is-just-like-my-fathers-Daisy-Shah/articleshow/28334854.cms?

*Edited by DT.*