The young and the ambitious

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They aren’t timid, neither are they naïve. Teenagers these days are game for any kind of challenge. One of the foremost among these are beauty pageants and model hunts, where not only are their looks put under the scanner but they are also tested on their maturity levels and their ability to handle pressure. Setting an examples are

Bollywood actresses like Priyanka Chopra and Sushmita Sen who made a splash in international beauty contests at a very young age. Recently, the runner-up of Get Gorgeous 6 Roushini Das is also just 18 years of age.
According to teen models, what works in their favour are the two key words ‘fresh’ and ‘young’. Former Miss Chennai, Sahitya Jaganathan, who won the title when she was just 18, says, “Everybody else around me had some experience but I had just started. While others always decked-up because they knew how to wear make-up, I just wore a gloss and kajal. I guess that worked for me and I was considered ‘fresh’.” And that’s not just it terms of looks, “The finale question for everyone was —‘It’s lonely on top then why do men and women want to succeed?’ While others gave usual answers like it’s not that lonely if you manage life but I was the only one who said that if someone has to achieve something they have to sacrifice something else and you have to know what you want. And this was the answer that won me the crown,” she elaborates.
It is not just the run-of-the-mill beauty contests that are being flooded with teen contestants, but even regular talent hunts and reality shows too have a lot of takers. For instance Roushini Das, an 18-year-old contestant managed to reach the top two, beating some of the seasoned models. However, those who watched the show were smitten by her charm and freshness. “These shows are known for their cat fights and handling such pressure is admirable. Yes, it’s true that she was immature and impulsive at times but I guess, that makes a recipe for a good new-age commercial model,” says Priyanka Sharma, a Mumbai-based student.
“Age does not matter at all as long as you are mentally prepared to face the challenge. When you are young, you are raw and you learn more but to say that teens can’t handle the pressure is wrong,” says Malavika Rane, 2008 Miss India contestant.
For those girls who always dreamt of a tiara, these teen models are an inspiration. “When I see girls of my age making it big, I wonder that even I am capable of making a mark in the field of modeling. I don’t want to be a part of teen show because I don’t want to be stereotyped as a ‘kid’. I have big dreams. If Priyanka Chopra can win the crown when she is 18, why can’t I,” says class 12 student Palavi Nayar. Trainers who hone the talents of these girls believe that it sometimes becomes difficult for them to handle pressure. “It is difficult for girls below 18 to handle the hectic schedules. If taken in another way, they learn through the hardships and learn to face the world at an early age,” says Mickey Mehta, India’s leading holistic health guru, who has been training Miss India contestants for years.