I've never felt the disrespectful male gaze on me probably because I've never presented myself as sultry or sexy.
- Mehr Jessia |
She is known to have been a sports freak, always immersed in the world of swimming, badminton and snooker before her transition into modeling.
Her life changed in 1986 when photographer Faroukh Jussawalla suggested that she take part in the Femina Miss India contest, two days later she was being interviewed and a week later she was actually crowned.
Having been sponsored by Bombay Dyeing she had to work free for them for a year after her contest.
It was Sangeeta Chopra that transformed her from a gawky teenager into a confident ramp model.
According to her modeling ' is not an easy job. It makes you squarely the center of attention, the cynosure of all eyes and that can be intimidating.'
Her first ad was the Lakme's winter creme campaign.
She feels that Mickey Contractor had a lot to do with the way her career took off after that first year. According to her ' He never let me look the same in any two campaigns..'
She believes she has more female fans than male fans!!
Her other Ad campaigns include Vimal,Bombay Dyeing,OCM, Lakme, Nivea, Palmolive, Gleem, Forhans, Philips, Campa Cola.....
Jose Fonseca proprietor of Models 1 asked her to represent her agency in London but she came back because she was homesick.
She officially retired while still at the top.
She explains her decision,'I didn't want to reach a stage where I had stopped modeling and then think of what to do next. Besides I wanted to give back 100 percent to this field which is why I decided to set up an agency.
Her reason as to why she choose to start a modeling agency ? she says 'We models are treated like queens but we have to do everything ourselves--from reading the contracts to following up on payments. If everything is handled by the agency then the model is free to do her own thing. That is what I want to do. Make life easier for the models.
Today she runs a modeling school and a modeling agency.
She has tied up with Ford and Models1.
She feels that it will take atleast another five years to set he agency on firm grounds.
She is now happily married to wannabe model Arjun Rampal and makes very rare appearances on ramps.
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