[Mamta Sonar | Free Press Journal]

Actor Smiley Suri, who started her career in 2006 with ‘Kalyug’, has found a new passion – pole dance. Currently, she is promoting pole dance in India to empower women. She is also giving a new platform to girls to motivation and express herself.

Sharing with Free Press Journal about her new passion, she said, “Pole is fitness, it’s the best gift a woman can give herself. It has elements of yoga gymnastics and it helps you lift own body weight. Pole fitness and pole dancing are the best workout for women, especially older women.”

Before immersing herself into pole dancing through, Smiley had her share of problems as, like so many other stars, she also suffered from depression. Recalling the tough days, she said, “I was going through a lot of depression, which I had no clue about after my father’s death. I put on weight due to thyroid, PCOD. I was unaware. I was dancing and doing aerial arts, but it didn’t complete me. Suddenly one day in Dubai, I was waiting for aerial class, and a pole fitness teacher walked in, and that pole class changed my life completely. I realised how beautiful and empowered I felt. I realised how feminine I can be, and how sexy I can feel. And, I felt strong. So I decided to learn the sport and went to Singapore to train and started my school, Polestar. My motto is if I can you can. And, that’s what I tell all my students.”