Hinduism an Obstacle to Exploitation of Women

[Guest guest]

In this Article from Sify News Fashion experts admit that

Hinduism is an Obstacle to their Exploitation of Women.Vrn

 

"....beauty pageant panelist and fashion writer Meher Castellino

fully agrees. According to her: "Our girls need to shed off their

baggage of morality if they genuinely want to achieve supermodel

status. The current crop of models is a victim of orthodox upbringing

and consequently it may not be possible for them to make a break with

the past. We will probably have to wait for the next generation to

deliver the goods."

'Indian girls balk at the idea of exposing'

By Khalid M. Ansari in New Delhi

Saturday, 04 October , 2003, 17:48

 

While India of late has produced Miss Worlds and Miss Universe

almost at will, not a single Claudia Schiffer or Naomi Campbell has

been forthcoming. According to dusky beauty Nayanika Chatterjee, the

answer for this dismal performance is not far to seek.

"You are a product of your attitude. How comfortable a model is doing

the catwalk with or without clothes depends entirely on how her value

system was shaped in childhood. Remember, in an international

modelling assignment your body is nothing more than a commodity to be

displayed to the best effect.

 

"What we in India deem vulgarity is an exquisite art form for top-

notch designers and choreographers abroad. In fact, nudity is often

creative element in most shows. It is true that many Indian girls

baulk at the idea of exposing beyond a certain point and this can

prove to be their undoing," says Chatterjee, who is doing her best to

make a difference by recruiting and grooming fresh faces for The

Metropolitan Top Model India Contest.

 

Metropolitan, founded in 1986 by Frenchman Michel Levaton, is one of

the world's leading model agencies and has handled clients like

Claudia Schiffer, Eva Herzigova, Diana Gartner and Tanga Moreau among

others. With such impeccable credentials, the contest could give

India its first global supermodel, claims Chatterjee.

 

"Killer looks, flair for languages and give-a-damn attitude are only

some of the things that help you make the grade. But money plays an

important role too. It's not easy for a struggling model to survive

in the fashion capitals of the world and without adequate funds, many

give up even before they have properly begun.

 

"And that is the beauty of a platform like the Metropolitan Top Model

India Contest. With prizes worth Rs 2.5 crores and prestigious

contracts up for grabs, it could be just the window of opportunity a

local girl needs to make it big internationally," she says.

 

No matter how difficult strutting your stuff on the catwalk, bagging

worldwide ad campaigns is harder still, points out model Sheetal

Malhar.

 

"A well-known ramp model may pick and choose what she wants to wear

but there's no such luxury where advertising is concerned. Exposure

levels in commercials are determined by ad agencies in consultation

with their clients and a model has little or no say in what goes on.

Sadly even a hint of nudity is enough to scare Indian models away and

that is why they are never serious contenders in the first place",

says Malhar.

 

It is an assessment with which beauty pageant panelist and fashion

writer Meher Castellino fully agrees. According to her: "Our girls

need to shed off their baggage of morality if they genuinely want to

achieve supermodel status. The current crop of models is a victim of

orthodox upbringing and consequently it may not be possible for them

to make a break with the past. We will probably have to wait for the

next generation to deliver the goods."