Groomed for success

IN CONVERSATION

that good grooming also aids success in the corporate world.

Why has pre-pageant grooming become so important?

With television coverage, presentation and first impressions have become very important. The girls have to hold the attention from the very outset, they have to learn how to use their advantages and work on their disadvantages.

What do you tell the girls?

Mainly, that they need to be all-rounders, that their attitude to the competition has to be wholesome, because only one of them is going to win. For the rest, there is a whole world of opportunity, be it in modelling on the catwalk or in print or television commercials.

What are the elements in a typical grooming course?

There's posture and walking, diction and table manners, sari-wearing and dance and, of course, make-up and some elements of skin and hair care.

But what if they don't become models...

Grooming is about empowerment. The training will help them immensely everywhere. In corporate jobs, their ability to talk well with a groomed appearance will help them.

Do you plan to open a grooming school as many a former model has done?

Yes, I plan to start grooming classes in Delhi later this year.

Were you formally groomed also?

No. When I started out in 1988 the scene was very different. Jeanie Naoroji and her assistant, who spotted me and suggested that I get into a show, told me to enrol for a grooming session. But I attended only one class. I was studying in college and did not take modelling seriously.

So how did you pick up the ropes?

From seeing myself on TV, I realised that some of my movements were very wrong. So I worked on improving them. The point is, those who want to learn, always do.

India has not been winning too many international pageants lately. Do you think the problem is with the grooming?

No. The equation between beauty and brains keeps changing in the international pageants from time to time. When we won international pageants in the early 90s, we seemed to have almost worked out a formula.

But others too have got the formula now. Besides, it's not just grooming. Presence of mind in the final stages is very important and that can't always be taught.