I was born in Mumbai to Nani and Puran Davar. I have two siblings ? an elder brother, Darab and an elder sister, Shireen. Since I was the youngest of the three, I was a pampered child.

But despite indulging me, my parents never went overboard. I remember them as being very pragmatic. They always maintained a balance between unadulterated fun and discipline, apart from instilling positive values in us. Perhaps that is why we grew up to appreciate and value togetherness.

I remember we always made it a point to have dinner together like in regular Parsi households. We were and still are a very close-knit family. One of my best memories is my winter vacation with my family in Mahabaleshwar.

As a child, I was very naughty. I was always up to some mischief or the other. Once at school, in the middle of a class, I suddenly broke into a song. I was at once asked to leave the class. Undeterred, I found my way to the school hall and happily started playing the piano and singing the number, Skyline Pigeon.

I did not enjoy going to school because I didn’t have too many friends. I studied at J. Common Cathedral School and later, went to Sydneham College. Apart from singing and playing the piano, I had a knack for acting as well. I always wanted to be an actor-performer and rule the stage. I was passionate about the stage. I wanted to sing and entertain ever since I can remember. I also used to take part in dance competitions in college. As far as my knack for dancing goes, that’s innate.

My mother is my role model. My parents and my aunt Mary Wadia, of Hunterwali fame, have had a major influence on me. My parents have always been very supportive and they have been my greatest source of strength along with the bhavnagaris, my spiritual guides. They advised me to take studies seriously, and keep in mind the importance of education. Without them, I wouldn’t have been what I am today.