Sania and Shoaib dance up a storm

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For mediapersons who had trekked all the way to Filmistan Studio in Goregaon to meet sports celebrity couple Sania Mirza and Shoaib Malik, a long wait was in store.

The press conference organised to announce Sania and Shoaib’s inclusion as “special guests” on dance reality show Nach Baliye 5 began nearly two hours after the stated time. But once Sania and Shoaib took to the stage at the high security event, all was forgiven.
Dealing with the barrage of questions with grace, Sania showed a practised élan, fielding even the most insistent of queries with charm. Shoaib on the other hand was quieter, more reserved — perhaps because of the rigours of travelling and rehearsals. “I just reached India on Tuesday afternoon and have been practising ever since. We’ve got nice comments from the judges for our performance, so that feels good.”
Calling the rehearsals a whole lot of fun, Sania said the physical exertion was something Shoaib and she were completely prepared for.
“We’re both professional sportspeople. We’re both very active and exercise daily. It’s as demanding as dancing,” she said.
The couple also admitted that they haven’t danced together much. “We did practise a bit of choreography during our wedding, but we certainly weren’t prepared for this show! The dance we have to perform here is tough, but we’re both very athletic, we go to the gym regularly and our body movements are fluid because of sport, so at least we don’t look silly when we dance,” Sania said.
When asked which of them was the better dancer, Sania promptly replied, “Shoaib is a good dancer. I am a little too shy when I dance.”
The focus of the grilling soon shifted from their television appearance to matters of matrimony. When one scribe asked Shoaib what married life was like, he shot back, “Are you married?” When she indicated that she wasn’t, he said, “Well, when you get married, you’ll know.” “You have to be flexible,” he elaborated. “We talk to each other and sort out problems and this is something we’ve been doing both before and after marriage. Cricket is what I know, but I also understand when Sania speaks about tennis.”
The India versus Pakistan question was also fielded smoothly by the couple. When Sania was asked who she supported in an India-Pak cricket match, she replied, “I wish that India would win and that Shoaib would too.” As for Shoaib, he asserted that he would never expect Sania to play for Pakistan. “Sania has received so much adulation and prestige playing for India. Why would I ask her to play for Pakistan?”
Apart from Nach Baliye 5, the couple is looking forward to the New Year too. “I am going to Australia on December 27 while Shoaib has a match in India on December 31,” said Sania. “We’re looking forward to the support of our family and everyone in the country.”