Glamour doesn’t come easy

Gurnaaz Kaur

“I was once a small-town girl who had never stepped out of Ludhiana till my graduation,” says Manpreet Sekhon, who recently won Miss Lumiere International Queen Ambassador in Singapore. This is her second international pageant. In 2018, she was crowned the first runner-up at the Jewel of the World beauty pageant in Philippines.

Winning these titles is a high for her, even though these aren’t as popular as Miss India or Miss World competitions. “It’s sad that only a few pageants are highlighted but believe me the experience of these is the same as it would be for the popular ones. I got to meet so many different people, learnt about their culture and prepared as hard for it as I would have for any other. It takes the same amount of energy and effort to compete for any beauty pageant.”

These titles, she says, have given her a voice. “When people get to know that I’ve won these pageants, they think that she has done something, she has been competing worldwide. It makes me more confident.”

She wants to use this voice to change people’s perception about modelling. If you think modelling is an easy profession, think again. Manpreet, who has been in this career for five years now, says it’s even more difficult than a regular nine to five job. “On most days we start work at 6.30 am and go on till the shoot finish, which mostly is by the end of the day.” This is not the only reason. She thinks most people don’t take a model or print ad girl seriously. “They think that we get easy money. There are many stereotypes around the profession and I want to break them.” Of the many things that go into it, she says, “We sacrifice a lot on our food choices, have to work out no matter what, there is a pressure to look good all the time. If you aren’t dressed up, people judge you.” So, clearly it is not all things glamorous. But it is something that she loves doing. “It is because of modelling that I’ve travelled more than half of the world. Life has changed a lot.”

But back in her college days, she had never imagined herself as a model. “I was the head girl, always lost in books, very studious. I wanted to become an artist and I still paint.”

On the suggestion of a photographer, she gave modelling a try. “I started with a local brand of hosiery and cardigans, local print shoots, etc. Then I sent my profile to different agencies and coordinators and started getting work from Delhi.”

As one thing led to another, she moved to Bengaluru for better prospects and there has been no looking back. “I got to anchor some of the best Punjabi live music shows all over Australia. The biggest highlight was to host the Satinder Sartaj’s show last year at Sydney Opera House. “It was the first Punjabi show ever held there. It meant a lot.”

In talks with some filmmakers down South, she now plans on becoming an actor.

gurnaaz@tribunemail.com