An actor who stumbled into content creation owing to her love for travelling, Shenaz Treasury proudly boasts of being India’s maiden influencer. After a successful stint as one of the country’s first VJs – and a lovable one at that – the cheery doe-eyed beauty is now Travel+Leisure India & South Asia’s first social cover star, too!
Editor-in-chief: Aindrila Mitra
Conceptualisation: Chirag Mohanty Samal and Pallavi Phukan
Photographs and Videos by Shenaz Treasury
Videos Edited by Sanyam Purohit
Excerpts from the interview with Shenaz Treasury:
T+L India: After a successful stint in television and cinema, you forayed into content creation for social media. What was this transition like for you?
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Shenaz Treasury: I think this is my fifth career! I started doing TV commercials at 16. Someone found me in college and asked me to do one [shoot], and it got really popular. From there, I became a VJ on MTV India. I went to Singapore next and returned to shoot movies. I did Ishq Vishk and Delhi Belly. Then I went on holiday to the US and ended up getting booked for a Hollywood soap opera called One Life to Live. I even did a few movies in New York for seven years, post which I got tired of the up-and-down game of acting.
I started making videos for Instagram out of the blue and they got very popular. That’s when I realised I don’t need to audition [for movies] anymore. I could travel the world on my own, make videos, and earn money through brands. In the beginning, I didn’t know how I could earn, but eventually [brands] reached out for [marketing]. I’ve been my boss since, and I enjoy it!
T+L India: How did you start travelling solo?
Shenaz Treasury: I didn’t always want to travel solo. It’s just that other people couldn’t travel at the same time I travelled or I didn’t have a boyfriend at the time to travel with. Then, I started travelling on my own instead of waiting for people. Soon, I realised I enjoy [travelling solo] and that I don’t have to do what other people want to do or work on others’ timelines. I’m on my own.
It all started with me being jilted in love. I found out my boyfriend had another girlfriend, and that’s when I decided to take the trip on my own and do everything that we had planned together, alone. That opened the doors to the new life I’m living — and a career! In hindsight, I thank that boy for having another girlfriend. [Now] I feel independent and confident. I’m a new person compared to five years ago.
T+L India: How has travelling solo helped you?
Shenaz Treasury: [Solo travelling] makes me independent and [allows me to step] out of my comfort zone. I feel a sense of identity. I feel confident. It’s a thrill; an adventure. I’m no longer waiting for others; I meet people on my trips.
Travelling by yourself is the ultimate confidence boost. You feel like you can do anything and that you’re a superwoman — that’s what I love about travelling solo. In the last five years of travelling solo, I learned the most significant relationship is the one you have with yourself.
T+L India: What inspired you to create travel content?
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Shenaz Treasury: I didn’t know what I was doing in the beginning; I was just making videos. The first time I visited Bali, someone offered me a free hotel room if I modelled for them. I refused to model, but I volunteered to make a video for them instead. That video did well. That’s when I realised this was a great way to get free hotels. That’s how it all started.
T+L India: How do you pick the places or experiences you want to showcase?
Shenaz Treasury: I just pick what I want to do! It’s more of a lifestyle for me. I go to a place, see where I want to be, stay in a hotel, and stay on. I don’t have a home of my own; I just pay for hotels as I travel from one place to another. My parents live in Mumbai, so I visit them before taking off for trips again. There’s no actual planning and I think that’s what people enjoy about my videos. I think people like [seeing] the lifestyle of a woman who is not leading a conventional life and taking time for herself. A lot of women follow me, and I think it’s because they aspire to this lifestyle.
T+L India: What do you enjoy the most about being a travel vlogger?
Shenaz Treasury: I enjoy the freedom of being my boss. When I was an actor, my life was in somebody else’s hands. Now, I’m my producer, director, and writer every day. I wake up and do whatever I want. I also like the creativity behind it.
T+L India: And what are some challenges you face?
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Shenaz Treasury: I’ve stopped putting any pressure on myself. Two years ago, I was still [putting pressure]. I thought I had to create and post a video every day, which led me to be completely burnt out. Now I post three reels a week, that’s all. Sometimes, when I visit a place I don’t shoot out of sheer laziness – but that’s a blessing in my job.
The challenge, however, is to make something inspiring and interesting. It’s like putting together a puzzle and I enjoy it. Being consistent is [also a] challenge – doing this every day. There are days when I’m guilty for not shooting. Having said that, I realised a long time ago that I don’t like travelling with a cameraperson and making it a ‘job’. I guess shooting everything myself is a challenge, too. But I enjoy travelling solo or with friends.
T+L India: Social media comes with its share of criticism and trolls. How do you cope with this?
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Shenaz Treasury: This is going to sound crazy but I rarely get any trolls or negative comments. The most I get is people asking who pays my bills or when I will get married. Other than that, it’s mostly positive comments and I’m grateful for it.
Even if I have gotten [negative comments], I don’t take it personally or care about it. I’m grateful to be doing [content creation] at an age where I don’t care what people think of me. I care about what my family thinks, but that’s about it. If you care too much [about people’s comments], then you can’t do this job.
T+L India: You often travel to the mountains. What do you like the most about your time there?
Shenaz Treasury: I travel more to the beaches than the mountains; I’m more of an ocean person. Having said that, I love being in nature no matter where it is. I feel small and humble while in nature, and that’s what I like about it.
T+L India: If you had to describe your ideal vacation, what would it be like?
Shenaz Treasury: Travelling for me is like a workcation. The ideal vacation for me would be one without a phone. Probably a beautiful beach, ocean, and lots of marine life.
T+L India: How do you ensure sustainability while exploring the world?
Shenaz Treasury: Nowadays, a lot of websites have sustainable options, so I choose those. While a lot of these hotels advertise sustainability, only a few are. There are grades to check whether [these hotels] are sustainable or not. Look for hotels with solar panels, LED lights, and low-energy bulbs. Check their amenities – they should not have plastic. They should have waste reduction practices and energy efficiency norms.
T+L India: Any tips for budding content creators?
Shenaz Treasury: Make valuable content and be consistent. Make videos that you want to watch. It’s not about vanity; it’s about what you’re sharing with the world. Show your true personality and don’t copy anybody else.
T+L India: What have been some of your favourite foods that you’ve sampled during your travels?
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Shenaz Treasury: I try to eat healthy since I’m travelling all the time. [As] I don’t have a regular gym, my exercise involves either swimming, surfing, or trekking. I’m blessed to be invited to the best restaurants, so it’s very important for me to watch my diet. People who know me know that I’m very careful about what I eat. I don’t eat maida. I eat little sugar and dairy. I don’t eat fried and avoid excessive oil. I do have a sweet tooth though, so sometimes I indulge in [sweets]. I try to ensure it has coconut sugar or almond sugar.
My number one is South Indian food, particularly the cuisine of Andhra [Pradesh]. It’s so spicy and delicious! I even liked mofongo, a dish from Puerto Rico. It was very unique and interesting. I love pho from Vietnam and Jamaican food, especially their curries. Italy has some of the freshest vegetables. If you’re into pasta, then it’s delicious. Thailand has the best food after India – all their yummy curries and stir-fries.
T+L India: Your favourite beach destinations and why?
Shenaz Treasury: Some of the beaches were in Puerto Rico. Culebra was gorgeous, even though I unfortunately went during a mosquito endemic. The beaches of Thailand used to be stunning, but now they are deteriorating because of humans. The Maldives has some of the most beautiful beaches and best snorkelling [spots]. Snorkelling is my favourite thing to do in the world!
Last year, I visited the Algarve in Portugal. It is stunning with its high cliffs. Spain has some beautiful beaches, too. I plan to visit the Canary Islands in November.
T+L India: Of the many places you’ve visited, if you had to choose your top 3 favourites, which ones would it be and why?
Shenaz Treasury: It’s hard to choose three of my favourites, but I can tell you the places I had a great time. I [enjoyed] Columbia. I went solo travelling. I loved the small town of Cartagena – I didn’t want to leave. I loved visiting Machu Picchu. Visiting the Amazon was also one of my favourite trips.
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Written By
Bayar Jain
Senior Content ManagerEquipped with a degree in Sociology (Honours) from the University of Delhi and a postgraduate diploma in English Journalism and Mass Communication from Xavier Institute of Communications, Mumbai, Bayar enjoys sharing stories of people, places, and different cultures. When not typing her travel tales, you can catch the hobbyist photographer capturing ..Read More
