'They'll always remember me as Miss Universe'

Talktime | lara Dutta

lara Dutta is back with an all-fresh season of Miss Diva Universe to find that extraordinary girl with the right attitude, panache, beauty and confidence. She talks to Sangeeta Yadav about hosting the event, mentoring the contestants and judging the contest which will be a nine-episode reality TV series on Romedy Now

You were Miss Universe. How does it feel to mentor contestants who stand where you did 15 years backIJ

That was the biggest turning point in my life as my journey in the glamour world unfolded after that. like the girls who have entered this contest, I too had hopes and aspirations. It takes a lot of courage and hard work to make this dream a reality. The title of Miss Universe stays with you forever. Even when I’ll be 60 years old and walk into a room, people will remember me as Miss Universe.

This is the second time you are a part of this show. How does it feel like to be a judgeIJ

It’s very difficult because we have been given the task to eliminate the contestants in various rounds. I know how heartbreaking it is to get eliminated as these girls want the title more than anything else in their life. Unfortunately, we can send only one girl to represent India at the international level. The selection of 14 out of 10,000 starts from the moment we see them. We see what personality and individuality they bring  with them.

What is the most difficult part about being a judgeIJ

Many times girls carry a stereotypical perspective about what a beauty pageant winner should be like. All girls look pretty and confident. But we are looking for somebody who has that spark and individuality that the moment she walks into a room she commands attention. She has to be someone who is not just a pretty face or has a great body but somebody who is articulate and well-read too.

How was your mentoring phase likeIJ

The big difference between what I went through and what these girls will face is that we have a wonderful team of experts who are a part of our training programme. When I was a contestant, we didn’t have a mentor. The only time that I spoke to Sushmita Sen or Aishwarya Rai Bachchan was just before I left for the contest. These girls have access to me from day one.

Do you feel extra pressure about it being a reality showIJ

More than me, it’s the contestants who do. Even if they don’t win the contest, they will be getting a lot of exposure on TV. The concept of Miss Universe is very different from what it was like 15 years back.

The debate is that most contestants are incapable of becoming Miss Universe. Do you agreeIJ

I don’t agree that a pageant objectifies a woman as there are numerous other fields that are doing exactly the same thing. Each girl who comes here has certain limitations. Somebody will pose amazingly in front of the camera but may be a very shy person to talk to. When I participated in 2000, we had three winners and all three of us went out to win internationally. There was Waluscha D’Souza who became a big model, Bhawna Sharma has been on the ramp for the last 15 years and Ishika was a VJ. So each girl in that year went on to find her own space and make a mark. 

Does favouritism work hereIJ

As far as I’m involved, I don’t think it’s there. There is no point sending somebody’s niece or like. We are never going to have another winner unless we send somebody who is worthy of it and has a good chance of bringing back the title.