Hazel Keech loves to do item numbers!

Hazel Keech

Hazel Keech

Hazel Keech

Hazel Keech

Hazel Keech

Hazel Keech and Sonu Sood

Bollywood's usual latkas and jhatkas aren't everyone's cup of tea. But for British-Indian actress Hazel Keech, who has grooved to an item number in an upcoming film, it was as easy as brushing her teeth.

"I am a professional dancer, so picking up dance steps was like brushing my teeth," Hazel said.

The actress, who played the boyfriend-snatching best friend of Kareena Kapoor in blockbuster "Bodyguard", will now be seen shaking a leg in an item number in Kabeer Kaushik's movie "Maximum".

A sneak peek of the film will soon be showcased at the forthcoming International Indian Film Academy (IIFA) weekend and awards, to be held in Singapore June 7-9.

The film's lead actor Sonu Sood went to great lengths to acquire the Hindi rights of the Tamil chartbuster for the movie.

"'Aa ante' was in Malayalam and Tamil. It's just that the words are in Hindi now and the singer is the same. It is a very energetic song filled with complete nautanki and masala," told Hazel.

The 24-year-old was born in Essex in north-east London, to an English father and an Indian mother. She started her acting career at a tender age of 12 with small roles in Hollywood films, and has even worked in three editions of "Harry Potter" series.

She is pleased with Bollywood's warm welcome, but tells her struggle here has also taught her a lot of lessons.

"Bollywood has taught me a lot of lessons. Sometimes it has been very hard, but every struggle and obstacle that I overcame, made me stronger and made me more aware," she told.

"Some people in the industry have been very welcoming and warm and I am lucky to have met such nice people. Others have taught me lessons. The lessons are just like the ones you learn when you grow up -- don't trust whoever you meet and don't take everybody's advice. Sometimes some people don't want you to do well, but it's fine as such is life," further added Hazel.

She never decided which industry she should join, but feels fate brought her to India.

"I hadn't made up my mind whether I had to do Hollywood or Bollywood films because I loved both and I grew up on both. So I am glad that Bollywood chose me. I've been to India before on holidays and what brought me and kept me is, I feel, destiny," told Hazel, who has also worked in Tamil movie "Billa".

She tells the southern industry is more organized than Bollywood, and admits that her Tamil film was more challenging as speaking Hindi for "Bodyguard" was easy.