A Chennai girl will represent India at the world’s largest beauty pageant for transgenders and transvestites in Thailand, Miss Interna-tional Queen 2011. The 7th annual edition of the pageant, supported by the Tourism Authority of Thailand will feature transgendered women from 25 different countries fighting for the crown. Malaika will be India’s first contestant to try her luck at the glitzy show, which attracts thousands of tourists to the beautiful coastal city of Pattaya every year.
Born male, Malaika (28) has been through four surgeries and a series of medical treatments to transform into the svelte transvestite dancer-model, who has been chosen from among 18 other applicants from across India, to contest the pageant on November 4.
“It is a dream come true to be representing my country at a pageant so prestigious,” said Malaika, who has started training hard for the highlight of the show, the three-minute talent round . “I am performing ‘Theyyam’, a Kerala dance form, which requires intense discipline. The dance involves an elaborate costume and props weighing at least 40 kg,” says Malaika.
“Miss International queen is more gruelling than any beauty contest for women, as the judges will scrutinize the quality of our cosmetic surgeries. The panel of judges includes prominent fashion designers, performing artistes and plastic surgeons,” she says.
Choreographer Sunil Menon is grooming Malaika for the contest. However, with hardly a fortnight to go for the big day, Malaika still does not have a sponsor. “The contest requires me to wear seven different costumes including a grand evening gown, a traditional dress and a swimsuit. I also have to bear the expenses of the travel and accommodation for the special make-up artist I need for the talent round. Unless I get a sponsor, I cannot participate,” says a distraught Malaika.
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SADHANA ARRESTED, RELEASED
Gautam S. Mengle
Mumbai, Oct. 13
Yesteryears actress Sadhana’s case against a city based builder completely turn-ed around on Thursday after she was charged and later arrested for trying to defame the builder. She appeared before a metropolitan magistrates court and was released on bail.
Ms Sadhana, 67, had registered a complaint with the Khar police in November last year alleging that builder Yusuf Lakdawala was harassing her with the intention of evicting her from her residence. She stays on the ground floor of a three-storey bungalow in Khar, with the remaining floors leased out to other tenants. In her complaint, Sadhana claimed that Lakdawala, who stays on the second floor, was slowly trying to evict all other tenants so that he could redevelop the 3,000 sq ft property.
Lakdawala was arrested by the police and was released on bail a day later. “After obtaining bail, Lakdawala appealed against the complaint in court, and the court subsequently ordered the Khar police to conduct an inquiry into the matter. After the police submitted its report, the court observed that it made the basis of a prima facie defamation case and asked Sadhana to appear before the court,” said Lakdawala’s lawyer A.R. Pargaonkar.