Maya, mudra & movement

At the age of six, she started learning Bharatanatyam and went onto pursue it at a senior level, even securing a CCRT scholarship from the central government for excellence in dance. Later, this talented girl worked as a HR manager at an MNC, but soon quit to learn contemporary dance from the renowned choreographer Mayuri Upadhya till she bagged a couple of short films in Kannada — Identity, Thank You and Usire. Dancer and actress Shweta V Hegde who eventually ventured into the small screen through Sarayu, is now helming Maya, a fantasy socio-mythological serial on Udaya TV. Shweta speaks to Bengaluru Chronicle, sharing her ‘short’ and interesting journey so far in the world of entertainment.

Though a native of Honnavar, a beautiful part of the coastal region in Karnataka, she was born and raised in Bengaluru. “Along with practising Bharatanatyam for over 20 years, I pursued my graduation in BSc. In fact, I even worked as a HR manager in a multinational company which I enjoyed. But I quit as I could not give enough time to dance. I then learnt contemporary dance from Mayuri Madam. This is when I grabbed an opportunity to work in a couple of short stories. A friend at the dance class coaxed me, believing that my dancing skills and expression suited acting well,” says Shweta Hegde.
She reveals that most of her family members including her mother and aunts are artistes. “My mother is a singer and a couple of aunts are dancers, while others are artistes. They learnt the art because they were passionate about it, but never took it up professionally. I was raised in such an arty atmosphere, and encouraged in dance. I am now realising all their dreams by turning professional,” she adds.

In Maya, she plays the central character, Darshini. “Unlike Sarayu, my first tele-serial which was a family drama where I played a dual role, Maya is a completely new experience to me. This new serial is a fantasy and socio-mythological thriller, and required a deep understanding of the making. One needs to be quick in reacting as most scenes are created along with the assistance of computer graphics, using green screens in the background. In Sarayu, I had the opportunity to dance as the team was aware of my skills. I hope I will get to dance in Maya too,” says Shweta.

She still feels like the same simple person she started out as. “I treat acting as a profession, and when I am not acting, I squeeze in some time to dance and do programmes. I love pets, and I just can’t wait to go back home to my cats and dogs after a long day at work. Dance is, and will always be my first love. I also try and make sure I have enough time for friends and family. That apart, I love travelling to new places as a stressbuster at least once in two months,” says Shweta.

Referring to the serial, and its spirits, Shweta does not believe in ghosts but does hope that there is a supreme power who protects all. “There can be only positive and negative energy. So, I intend to stay positive and spread happiness, and live my life dancing.”