Dream BIG!

Though an engineer by profession, this free-spirited young lady’s heart was always set on the ramp! Her ultimate goal is to represent India on an international platform and she has been working hard to achieve this dream. With such zest and passion, it doesn’t come as a surprise that she was crowned Miss South India 2018, Miss Queen of India 2018 and finally Miss India – Miss Kerala 2019! Ritz gets into a candid chat with vLakshmi Menon as she reveals her fitness mantra, beauty secrets and what it takes to be a model!

- Riya Sonny Datson

How did you step into modelling?

It has always been my dream to participate in the Miss India pageant. So as I prepared to apply for the event, I realised that I needed some good photographs. Unfortunately, portfolio shoots can be very heavy on the pockets so I thought to myself that maybe I should try my hand at modelling. That way, I would get paid for my job and would also get to work with seasoned photographers. But as I started doing shoots, I liked modelling and that’s how I decided to take it up as a profession.

What according to you are the pre requisites to be a model?

A model needs to be professional and disciplined at her work. It is not an easy profession and when your photographs are published in print or on social media, there will always be people out there who are going to judge you. So one needs to be mentally prepared for all kinds of remarks. You need to be ready to cope with rejection as well as casting and auditions are often long procedures. After all the effort, you might get rejected, it is not always positive. Apart from that, there is a lot of physical stress in terms of long working hours and there is also the constant pressure to stay fit and healthy especially when you are participating in pageants. So to be a model, you need to be mentally and physically fit.

Very often the fashion industry has been involved in scandals like the casting couch and #Metoo episodes. Have you had to face difficult circumstances?