World Mental Health Day Special
May 3, 2014
Breaking The Male Gaze
May 5, 2014
Crown TO CLASSROOM
Former ‘Miss India’ inspires as Mentor
Beauty, Brains and Beyond, Liza Varma in an Exclusive Tête-a-Tête with Editor, Bhawna Malik
Q: Can you share your journey of being Miss India?
Liza: I started modelling in 1981… and by 1983 I had numerous beauty contests held in Kolkata. In 1983, I joined ‘Femina Miss India’. There were five contests East, West and North. I represented the East since I was from Kolkata. Two top contestants would go for ‘Miss India’ out of the ten selected. I won the ‘Miss Kolkata’ title. I reached Mumbai and was under Pradeep Guha as he was heading the East zone. Director Shekhar Kapur was around as a chaperone and Sohaila Kapur was the Sub-Editor of Femina Magazine during that time.
I won the ‘Miss India’ contest, was in the ‘Top Three’. I was on the cover page of ‘Femina’, ‘Stardom’ and magazines. I was offered films. I did a Bengali film that was a blockbuster. I was offered a role by Rishi Kapoor and Rahul Kanwal in the ‘Beta’ film too… but I opted out of films.
Q: Was your transition from being a model to a mentor a deliberate move?
Liza: I was not comfortable with the film world. The evil of the casting couch was very prominent. So I left films, got married and had a kid. But I came back to modelling as my husband and in-laws were supportive of this move. I even worked with ‘City Bank’, ‘Taj Bengal’ but a full-time job with kids was hectic. I decided to get back to modelling as offered to me.
I choreographed shows from 1986 to 1989…and then moved to Delhi and got my portfolio made. I was back in modelling.
Q: You have groomed Sushmita Sen, Manushi Chiller. How was your experience as a mentor?
Liza: In 1994, the year Sushmita Sen won Miss India, I met her as she was my sister’s neighbour. She was not confident initially as she felt she was dark and thin. I assured her that this is what is required. My journey helped her and my guidance made her fill up the form… and finally she won the title of ‘Miss Universe’ too. I was with her throughout.
From 1994 to 1999, I did more than three thousand shoots as a model including with major brands like ‘Nestle’, ‘Maggi’, ‘Horlicks’, ‘Airtel’ and ‘Aircel’. I was the only mother model and in the 90’s that was literally unheard of. So I was mentoring and modelling at the same time.
Q: You have made a mark as a ‘Show Director’, can you talk about it?
Liza: In 1999, my aunt, who was a manager of a boutique and also a choreographer, offered me the chance to choreograph a show at ‘The Gymkhana Club’. Before this, Rashmi Varmani had already made a mark as a choreographer. We had all super models—Aishwarya, Sushmita, Meher Bhasin and Manpreet on board and the show was a huge success.
In 2002, I trained Neha Dhupia, Nikita Anand, Ankita Shourie and Gul Panag for a show called ‘Osy Make Win’. All of them won either as ‘First Runner-up’ and ‘Second Runner-up’. They continued under my mentorship for other shows too. In 2008, ‘The Times of India’ was launching ‘Shoot Talent Management’… and I was approached by Ila Kumar Walia to be their North-India Consultant. This gave me the chance to travel. During this time, I visited Sri Lanka to do a show for ‘The Times Of India’ with designers like Hemant, Satya Paul and Shobha De. It is here that I met Jacqueline Fernandez who had won the ‘Miss Sri Lanka’ title. I was about Jacqueline that she would make a mark and she came to India. From there, her career in films began.
By 2012, I had made a mark as a Mentor and Show Director. I did shows all across the globe—Sri Lanka, Dubai, Europe and America. I have been a member of FDCI for the last twenty-two years.
In 2016, I did a show in Paris at the Eiffel Tower. I was the first one to do such a show with all top designers Rocky S, Poonam Bhagat, Nida Mehmood, Mehul Gheotra, Narendra Kumar and Madhu Jain. This show made headlines. I directed a show called ‘Jashn Festival Global’. We will be working with top Indian designers settled abroad as well. Through this, we will provide a platform to Indian designers and models. We will begin with four main Asian countries and twenty countries. I want my Indian talent to showcase in western style. Just like Louis Vuitton has done with Kolhapuri chappals. This is my vision for our designers and finally its nearing fruition. I have my investor in place for this show.
Ms. Liza Varma
Q: You also mentored Manushi Chhillar, how did that happen?
Liza: I got a call from her asking me to train her. I initially refused since I was happy doing my shows but she came to Delhi…and the moment I saw her, she nailed it. There, she carried a spark in her and I was sure she would make it. She trained with me for three weeks, only on weekends. She was sincere and very disciplined and finally, she won ‘Miss India’ and in 2016 she won ‘Miss World’. Manushi mentioned my name in all her interviews. After Manushi, Manika Sheokand and Manika Soni Kukreja also trained under me. They too were winners.
Q: What’s your message for aspiring models?
Liza: Education is very important, don’t compromise on that. Never pay to be a part of any contest. Top most modelling agencies like Ford, Storm and Elite are genuine. Femina Miss India is authentic. Rest, don’t fall for any contest. Your ambition to become a world icon must match your hard work, discipline, dedication and focus. You can’t be on drugs and earning a title. You are a hanger for a designer, so you must have the right attitude, body and mind set to carry that dress.
Q: Right from Sushmita till Manushi, what has changed?
Liza: Huge change. After me Juhi Chawla won the title and she even wrote an article about International models who are above 5’-4”. She was asked how can we compete since we are not even considered. But that changed after Sushmita won. Till Sushmita’s time, parents were not very supportive of this profession… and in my time, a strict no. But now things are changing. From 2004-2017, the number of girls enrolled for training has increased. Now, parents realise modelling is also a profession.
Q: Please talk a bit about your academy. What do you all cover?
Liza: I have a team of trainers with me for three to six months of courses. Right from the Cat Walk introduction, question-answer session and body language to how to meet and greet people, how to use cutlery, hair and makeup, how to dress up formally, to diet and nutrition and body fitness… we groom for everything. I have Gopika Pillai with me. I have a team of all hostesses as trainers for etiquettes. Now, I am starting my own contest in Dubai for worldwide Indian women. Priyanka Chopra Jonas would be my brand ambassador. Ujjwala Rawat and Rahul Chaddha as trainers and along with it, I am also starting a fashion week, in which my own models would walk the ramp.
Q: You have spoken about the Casting Couch that remains a concern for every girl. What safeguards do you advise?
Liza: Opt for contests having names with good reputation. Models fall for ads, so choose wisely. The pageants that do not offer work don’t do them. Not every contest will get you a global icon. I have observed that girls from Rajasthan, Bihar, West Bengal come for these contests and they fall for local newcomers. Parents, too, think that their daughter will find a rich groom once she wins the local contests, or a social worker of particular area might find political coverage once she wins… but that does not always happen. Even if it does, it is locally centred. Times of India has their own contest ‘Femina Miss India’ and it offers work post the pageant.
This is one reason that I am starting my own pageant. I was part of one such contest and the participants paid huge amounts to participate in that contest, but I removed myself from that contest. Every mentor must be morally guided.
