In Conversation With ‘Miss Face Of Navi Mumbai 2018’

This interview with ‘Miss Face Of Navi Mumbai 2018’, Sunethra Easwaran , is bound to inspire young women. Read on!

Question: Could you tell us about the beauty pageant(s) you have taken part in?

Sunethra: Earlier this year, I participated in a personality-cum-beauty pageant called “Face of Navi Mumbai”. It was the pageant’s first year, and fortunately, it happened to be a huge success. For someone like me, who’s been alien to the world of pageantry, modelling and everything else that follows, I couldn’t have asked for a better platform to showcase my abilities and be honed by the best of people in the business.

Question: What made you decide to take part in a beauty pageant?

Sunethra: Well, it happened purely by chance. I was in my second year of studying law when I came across this pageant through social media. I realized I had tried everything, except something like this. I was so sceptical about giving the auditions, mostly because of my inhibitions. I somehow never thought I’d fit the bill. The universe had different plans. This pageant made me more self-aware and gave me that necessary push that I certainly needed. I’m glad I took the first step. The rest just fell into place way better than expected.

Question: What are your thoughts about beauty pageants – the good, the bad, and the ugly?

Sunethra: I can honestly only speak about my experience since every pageant is different. The audience wouldn’t be able to figure out the amount of effort that goes into grooming an individual for a pageant. The experts who groom the candidates are crucial. I was fortunate to have the best international experts (Karl Sir and Anjana Ma’am-from  Diva Pageants) who knew what they were doing. The entire organizing team was so supportive that it made everything a lot easier.

Never miss real stories from India's women.

Register Now

The grooming sessions tend to be long and tiresome, and there’s only so much that you can work on in a short period. The details need to be taken care of because on the day of the finale, that’s all that matters.

As fun as it is, it can take a toll on your body especially if it’s someone like me who had to juggle multiple things at a time.

My journey has taught me one major thing, which is that the victory of a person is wholly subjective and uncertain when it comes to pageants. Irrespective of who wins, there’ll always be someone who will find reasons to show that you didn’t deserve it. That’s when you need to work on your perspective.

The longer you are in the business, the sooner you realize the value of genuineness. Coming across superficial individuals no longer is a surprise to me. The hunger to make it big makes people do some pretty mean things, to themselves and others.

Question: How do you think society views beauty pageants?

Sunethra: It’s 2018, but there is still a stigma about beauty pageants, which I found appalling initially. Although I came out triumphant, I found myself being bombarded with questions from the people around me, which could have been gruelling if I had not dealt with them efficiently. I began to question many decisions I made along the way because of the peers that were trying to pull me down.

One of the most integral aspects of being part of a pageant is to have a robust constitution and unwavering self-confidence. The sooner you realize that you’re all in it for the same goal, and the way to go ahead is not to tear each other down but to rejoice in the experience is what’ll make so much of a difference. It certainly helped me. Although I was sceptical at first, I believed that I needed to enjoy every bit of it.

Question: What are your thoughts on the #Metoo movement?

Sunethra: I’m glad that the #MeToo movement has given women all over the world a platform to share their experiences with sexual harassment and come out in solidarity with survivors. The #MeToo movement started trending in India after the Bollywood actress Tanushree Dutta came out with her story, which brought up so many other stories including that of many big-wigs of the industry. It takes courage to come out about such sensitive issues especially if you’re a public figure and you are both from the same field of work, as it puts your position and image in jeopardy in some capacity.

Question: What are your thoughts on beauty?

Sunethra:  I honestly believe that beauty is that light that shines from within. It shines so brightly that the exterior seems insignificant after that. It’s the confidence, the zeal, the humility, and most importantly, integrity, which radiates brighter than what you look like. Having the right attitude is what it’s all about at the end of the day.

Most often, you realize that it’s not the prettiest girl who wins, it’s the most confident and the one who truly believes that she’s got what it takes. Although times are changing, I think more and more people need to believe that there is beauty in imperfections and quirks. Certain traits that you think are imperfections are what pulls people towards you.

Image Source: Facebook

Comments