She took the risk, bought the ticket & chased the dream! India is Nataliya’s second home
It has been five years; Italian-Ukrainian supermodel Nataliya Kozhenova, a Bollywood fanatic, left behind her successful modeling career & landed in Mumbai to chase her dream & got her first big break by Jackie Shroff!
She took the risk & chased her dream. Nataliya Kozhenova of Ukrainian origin still remembers the first time she saw Jagir starring Mithun Chakraborty, Zeenat Aman & that’s when she knew where she belonged to.
Self confessed Bollywood fanatic, Nataliya apparently fancied Bollywood films to such an extent that she saw Jagir 14 times in the theatre & became an ardent lover Mithun Da & had the urge to meet him.
The Ukrainian supermodel had such an impact of Bollywood on her that she started dressing up like the Indian actresses & dreamt everyday of shifting her base to the city of dreams but it is easier said than done.
Her inability to speak or understand Hindi & English was the biggest challenge for this pretty faced model & also Nataliya knew nobody from India & hence the apprehensions from her family & friends.
Nataliya couldn’t have asked for more when her friends gifted her ticket to Mumbai & for someone who had no knowledge about India & the language let alone be people was a matter of quiet concern for her folks. Then began her networking & making contacts on social network & the first day when she landed here, Nataliya had already made friends to count on & then came her big break with Jackie Shroff for an ad commercial shot in Kolkata.
Nataliya is one confident woman going still strong, she mentions, “India is now my second home. It has been five long years now. I had my share of ups & downs. Few hits & few misses, it has been quiet a journey but it is all worth it. I am proud of myself for chasing my dreams, taking all the risks. I am constantly working towards my goals.”
Nataliya kept her successful modeling career at bay after doing numerous music videos in Italy – Ukraine & came to India, “Certainly life won’t always be a bed of roses, you have to make it one. I love it here. I love my people here; I want to do more work. I want everything that I deserve in return of my hard work.”
