‘You need to have that all-eyes-on-me kind of vibe’

After coming in as the first runner-up in the Sakal Beauty of Maharashtra pageant in 2018, Priya Singh got a boost of confidence. And it is that confidence that is taking her places. For the pageant this year, she is one of the judges. “Sakal Beauty of Maharashtra was the second pageant I had entered into last to last year. I was groomed by Lovell Prabhu, who taught me how to be the best at my craft. When I am at the auditions, selecting participants for the pageant, it’s like a major throwback to when I was one of the contestants walking into a room in front of judges. I have a grateful feeling in my heart,” says the electronics engineer by education, who rejected a job in New York to follow her dreams of becoming a model.

“When we were training for the pageant, those 7-10 days in my life made a huge difference. After winning first runner-up in the pageant, I moved to Mumbai and joined a modelling agency,” says she.
Currently, a contestant on the reality show Super Model of The Year that airs on MTV, Priya is garnering a lot of appreciation for her figure, energy and talent by celebrity judges such as Milind Soman, Malaika Arora and so on. But while everyday is not filled with sunshine for the aspiring supermodel, she has learnt to deal with the drab days through meditation and keeping a positive attitude. “The biggest challenge is to not give up. We shot for 20 days straight. There were days when I was not up to the mark and there were days when I was the best. But throughout the shoot, I had to believe in myself and the craft that I put so much effort into. I had to keep my energy level at a 100 per cent at all times,” she says, adding, “Our phones were confiscated, so I was not in touch with my family. I had no one to share my fears with or talk about how my day went. So I meditated and did breathing exercises. I had my priorities straight -- I got adequate amount of sleep so I could perform my best the next day, and I did not indulge in any negativity.”

Hailing from the defence background, with her father and younger brother in the army, she says that discipline is an integral part of her daily life. 

“I don’t cheat with my body. My body is my bread and butter. I follow a strict diet and an exercise regime. I enjoy running, so instead of hitting the gym, I prefer running for one-two hours everyday and doing functional training to keep in shape,” says Priya, adding, “On Super Model of The Year, all the judges really complimented me on my abs, and that’s because I work hard on them. I think it was my disciple and dedication that made me Malaika’s favourite.”

After being a contestant on the pageant, then on the show, and now as a judge on Sakal Beauty of Maharashtra, what does she look for in contestant? She answers, “When I audition, I want the judges to remember me. There has to be a recall value to your audition and people mustn’t forget you. That’s what I look for in the contestants as a judge. Along with a perfect walk, they also need to have expressions and energy that will make them stand out for the judges. You need to have that all-eyes-on-me kind of vibe,” she says. 

“I also think it is very important to be grounded. Nowadays I am getting so much love, support and attention, but I know that if this changes my perception of myself, I will not be able to go far in life. I have to remember where I came from and stay grounded,” adds Priya.