It’s always good to be back in Kolkata for a shoot: Shantanu Maheshwari

An actor, a dancer, a reality show winner, Kolkata lad Shantanu Maheshwari completed 10 years in the industry last year. Back in hometown to shoot for an OTT project, the dancer-actor is making the most of his stay here, enjoying his favourite jhalmuri and luchi in between shoots. When we caught up with Shantanu for a chat, he spoke about his childhood memories in the City of Joy, pitfalls of social media, his new projects and more.Excerpts:
What brings you to Kolkata this time?
I am shooting for an upcoming project in Kolkata. I can’t reveal too much about it at the moment, but it's always good to be back home for a shoot. I enjoy shooting at locations that have been a part of my childhood and growing-up days! Also, Kolkata has some beautiful heritage sites and scenic locations that always enhance any shooting experience in the city.
What's keeping you busy these days?
My work, of course. I am shooting for an upcoming project, which has an extensive schedule. That apart, I have gone on short trips — around Mumbai and to a few other cities — in the last few months. Travelling helps me rejuvenate and there is so much to learn while visiting new places and meeting new people. I have also been working on my physical fitness to improve my overall health.
Recently, you shared a beautiful choreography by Makenzie Dustman and Phillip Chbeeb on Instagram. What inspired you to do so?
I was very inspired by this particular dance piece and I loved their choreography. As for this dance routine, it's more about you exploring something new, something that helps you evolve as a person and breaks your inhibitions. It was beautiful to see how they played with small ideas and concepts to create something so lovely.
Recently, you also posted about the ‘pressure of numbers on social media’. While you have a decent score on your handles, tell us about the nature of the pressure and how did that affect you…
Social media is not just about sharing your life anymore. It's about the views you get, where you are in this rat race to prove how popular you are. Over time, I realised that even I was getting a bit sucked into this race. It wasn’t a good feeling to see this change in me. So, I decided to opt out of this number game, stick to showcasing who I am as a person and doing it at my own pace.
You are also seen as a super fit individual. Would you like to share your workout and dietary routine with our readers?
Fitness is a way of life for me. I believe our body is like a temple and if we keep it healthy, it will support us. For me, staying fit and incorporating new fitness regimes in my daily routine are like motivational challenges to improve my health in every respect. I feel setting achievable and realistic goals is very important. Finding the right fitness regime, which suits your body type, is essential. It can be anything from playing a sport to swimming to hitting the gym or even a dance workout, but whatever you take up should eventually be in sync with your body and should help you achieve your goal.
When you are in Kolkata, do you prefer to eat home food? Did you try any Bengali dish this time? List your favourite Kolkata street food.
This time round, I got a chance to visit a few good restaurants. Nothing can match up to the taste of Kolkata street food. Luchi, jhalmuri, phuchka, beguni and muri are my favourites.