Dream yourself a hero, and he or she shall appear. For Pooja Kumar, she might just find herself in the role of heroine as she is inching ever-so-close to realizing her dreams as an actress. Pooja is a long way from Missouri.

The one-time Political Science and Finance student certainly shifted gears. After spending time hustling in the cavernous halls of Congress, the up-and-coming Indian actress now finds herself flashing her smile in front of the bright lights directly beneath the shadows of the Hollywood sign.

Somewhere along the way, Pooja figured her true calling was to make sure that very shadow she is casting finds its way half way around the world to Bollywood. Helping her is former Saturday Night Live star and comedic actor Chris Kattan, who is joining forces with Pooja in what seems to be a new growing trend of partnering Hollywood and Bollywood. In a couple weeks, Kattan helps Pooja take one more step into the bright light, allowing her to do what the famous hilled landmark is doing to her, in that she now can cast her own shadow on one of the world’s most coveted industries. Together, the new dynamic duo will grace television screens across the world in Bollywood Hero.

“This is a totally unique project because there has never been an American TV show in which almost the entire production was done in India,” Pooja said of the upcoming miniseries on the International Film Channel. “Our cast and crew were from all over the world, which means a true coming together of creative minds.”

It was that collection of creative minds that created the perfect opportunity for Pooja to take her career to the next level.

“There is still a great deal more to accomplish since I have just started my career,” she emphatically said. “Working in both India and America has allowed me to blend in with both cultures and various styles of working. “My career has been very busy and fulfilling.  It has not been easy, but I am lucky to have been able to act in TV, commercials, and Independent Cinema for the Indian, Pakistani, and American audiences.”

The balancing of a career in two industries is what Pooja seems best prepared to do, what with her Indian upbringing in an American household in the nation’s heartland. Such is also why Bollywood Hero was the perfect fit for Pooja, since the miniseries offered the best of both worlds -– American production and Indian cinema.

“When I heard that Bollywood Hero was going to be filmed in India, that solidified the decision for me (to join the cast),” she excitedly said. “Any chance I have to travel back to my homeland, I take because I love India and am very passionate about working there.”

Specifically, she pointed out the cast of the show very much resembled an ensemble, with talented stars from both Hollywood and Bollywood sharing the screen in a rare joint project.

“Our cast and crew were amazing,” Pooja added. “From Hollywood, we had Chris Kattan from Saturday Night Live, (with) Julian Sands, Keanu Reeves, Maya Rudolf, and David Allan Grier doing cameos. From Bollywood, we had Neha Dhupia, Rachna Shah, Ali Faizel, as well as the same line production team as Slumdog Millionaire, which included our line producer, Tabrez Noorani.”

Yet the cross-cultural, inter-continental cooperation was not limited to just India and the United States. Also included on the production team were an Australian film director and an Israeli head of photography.

“My exposure to working with an international cast, having great production value and being punctual with respect to the shooting schedule will help me tremendously in working on future projects,” the actress said of the diverse production team.

With such a diverse group of people contributing to the making of Bollywood Hero, Pooja still never forgot her roots, which definitely helped her in maintaining a level of authenticity to keep the Indian flavor of the miniseries, despite the cross-cultural production team.

“As an Indian-American, I understand both the Indian and American family values and culture,” Pooja humbly said. “Although I lived in the U.S., I visited India every year while growing up, and that helped me to understand how both societies work. As a result, I am more confident in my acting ability; whether it is Hollywood or Bollywood, very few actors manage to go back and forth convincingly.”

So what, exactly, gave Pooja the ability to switch between Bollywood and Hollywood so convincingly? For starters, she credits her strong cultural upbringing, in which she learned Indian classical dance as well as how to speak the national tongue of her homeland.

“My ability to read, write and speak Hindi coupled with the fact that I have learned Indian classical dance, Bharatnatyam and Kathak, has given me the foundation to adapt and work anywhere in the world,” Pooja said of her upbringing. “I consider myself to have that east/west blend most directors/producers are looking for in today’s times.”

Yet what convinced Pooja to actually make use of her cultural background in an artistic manner was when she was chosen by a major company to be trained as an entertainer. Thanks to the Amitabh Bachchan Corporation, Pooja immediately shifted gears from a career in politics, which is what she studied at St. Louis’s Washington University, to acting.

“The world does not know that I majored in Political Science/Finance and I did an internship for a Congressman in Washington, DC,” she told Buzzine. “I was going to be a Senator in Washington, but life took a different turn and brought me to acting.

“The turning point in my career was when I was chosen by Amitabh Bachchan Corporation, Limited as one of the 60,000 applicants to be trained in acting and dancing.  Then I decided to follow my destiny — my calling.  I love all the projects that I do, since I am passionate about filmmaking and acting.”

It was a turning point she truly feels grateful for, as she has placed herself down a path to achieve her dreams while also making a difference in life.

“I am ultimately doing what I love: acting,” the stunningly beautiful actress gleefully told Buzzine.  “Always follow and believe in your dreams. They will come true!  Keep supporting Indian Independent cinema. We are so lucky to come from a culture full of beautiful, historic stories to share, so let’s keep them alive!”

You can help Pooja achieve her dreams while also supporting Indian independent cinema by tuning into the International Film Channel on August 6th, 7th and 8th to watch Bollywood Hero, starring both Pooja and Chris Kattan.

Be sure to stay tuned to Buzzine for continued coverage of the collaborative miniseries.