Mahir Pandhi, winner of Top Model India, gave insights into his struggles in a tell-all with Upasana Singh
From weighing 130 kg to turning into a supermodel, the journey of Mahir Pandhi seems to be thriving with time. The supermodel was just 20 years old when he bagged an opportunity to compete in the famous reality show Top Model India alongside 13 other contestants. Keeping a hold on his excitement, the newly-turned winner shared various moments that kept him going along the way: “My enthusiasm has reached a new high now. Since day 1, I had the mindset to win the show no matter what. And this helped me through every obstacle in the show. The knowledge that everyone around me was an established face did unnerve me but winning among them was a big achievement for me.”
It was not just about good looks but every participant had to walk miles and undergo thorough grooming sessions by eminent names of the industry. From supermodel-turned actor lisa Haydon, fashion stylist and costume designer Anaita Shroff Adajania to fashion photographer Atul Kasbekar, all of them collectively did a great job. Among them was one individual for whom Mahir couldn’t stop giggling and celebrated fan moments everytime he had an encounter with her. When asked about the personal favourite mentor, Mahir dug into his old memories and shared, “Shibani Dandekar. It was during IPl that I first saw her hosting a match. Since then, I have admired her. Even when I met her accidentally five years back, I instantly captured that moment. Today, when I recall my time of being groomed by the diva herself, it takes me to cloud nine. There is a lot that I have learnt from these talented bunch of perfectionists.”
However, it’s not just a perfect physique that pushed him to build a career in modelling but to take on the bullies of his childhood. “Bullying was why I wanted to work hard on my body. That embarrassing phase of being looked at as a lump was what prompted me to look after my health. So I began swimming and later switched to gymming”, said Mahir. He considered the androgynous model, lemuel Huffman, as his biggest competition and when we said that Mahir resembled a Portuguese football player, he turned a little shy. He gushed and further shared his fondness for Cristiano Ronaldo. “Though I’m not a footballer, I started watching football because of Cristiano Ronaldo. I admire him to the extent that even if he isn’t playing well, I would like to keep watching him play on the field. I’m his biggest fan.”
Though his social media handles are flooded with unimaginable followers now, there is only one chubby snap from Mahir’s school days doing the rounds. The image displays a 130 kg boy with a studious and spectacled look, flaunting a Colgate smile, his chubby cheeks almost squashing his eyes. “It was captured when I used to weigh more than I should have according to my age. The glasses evidently are a reflection of my introvert personality. Growing up in a family where my grandma was a principal, every minute of my routine was scheduled properly. From the time I woke up to hitting the football field and taking coaching classes in the evening, everything was pre-planned and cast into a disciplined format,” said Mahir, who is also a theatre actor. He loves radio as well. “It was at the age of 15 when I entered All India Radio as a drama artiste on Golden Rainbow. It helped me gain immense confidence.”
Glimpses into his life during the old days prove a lot about the model’s abilities and versatility. But there is another unique quality that he possesses which helped him make a tough decision when he discovered a health problem — patience. “It was a few days before the shooting of the first episode when I had to show up in swimwear. Out of the blue, I realised that my body was not in shape. Some medical checkups revealed that the level of my fat had gone up by four to five per cent followed by loss of muscle which further weakened me. I was hospitalised for a short period but fortunately I was selected for that round,” he shared. However, it was not the only incident that shook his spirit. “It was during a make-over session when I was put in a difficult situation about chopping off my hair. I recalled the time when I had a head injury and had to go bald for recovery. I looked terrible and that feeling was why I didn’t want to trim my hair again. But eventually, I went ahead with the new hair-do and it lent a charm to my appearance which surprisingly, I liked.”
Mahir revealed that acting is one of his most prized passions. “Performing in school plays, I developed acting skills. Also, I used to do a lot of dubbing which really shaped my vocal chords. I can even say that acting was the reason I took to modelling.
The gym-enthusiast further shared his single-mindedness. “It’s very hard to keep the diet and exercise routine persistent. When an individual puts his everything into maintaining a fit body, results appear. In my case, the encouragement from my friends and father boosted my confidence. But I always avoid unhealthy steroids. My diet and workouts have been based on proper workouts amalgamated with the right amount of nutrition, vitamins, adequate carbs, water and proteins on a daily basis.”
He also clarified the gender neutrality of his new profession. “I have observed that society assumes modelling as a career fit for women only. But I think it works for men equally. Modelling is a good way to keep you sharp moment to moment. It is a lot about self-discipline.” Right now he will focus on the moment of glory. Bollywood, he hopes, will come sooner rather than later.