I am spiritual, but religion divides us: Ekta Chowdhry

Miss India Universe 2009 Ekta Chowdhry spoke to Tanu Talwar of Spicezee.com about the challenges before the pageant and life after it.

It’s every girl’s dream to don that much-eyed jewel-studded tiara, dress fancily and graciously bow to the loud applause of success coming from far and wide acknowledging her as ‘the most beautiful of them all’. The fairytale became a reality for Ekta Chowdhry, who went on to claim the Miss India Universe 2009 title and reign supreme with her perfect blend of beauty and brains.

India’s entrant to the prestigious Miss Universe pageant, the stunner is all geared up to do the nation proud. Nevertheless, for now she is gleaming with pride and gushing at her newfound stardom. In an exclusive tête-à-tête with Tanu Talwar of Spicezee.com, the lissome beauty spoke about the challenges before the pageant and life after it. Tanu: What’s the kind of preparation did you undergo for the pageant? Ekta: I know it would sound cliché, but I always wanted to be Miss India Universe. Right from the first time in 1994, when I saw Sushmita Sen bag the crown, this has been my sole aim and dream. I must have been 6-7 years at that time. As I grew up, the dream stayed with me and I became more and more determined about achieving my goal. I started preparing and took up dance training. I made conscious efforts to move in the right direction. I took up modeling really young, as I thought it would help me gain confidence, groom myself and develop the right skills needed to crack the pageant. Tanu: How early did you start modeling? Any experience that is difficult for you to forget? Ekta: Oh, I started modeling when I was about 19 or 20 years old. The one experience I can never forget is when I walked the ramp for the first time in Fashion Week for Manish Arora. It was a different high altogether. Tanu: Your efforts surely seem to have paid up. So has it sunk in Ekta: It’s taking time to sink. The day it happened, I just could not believe that it has finally happened. I was on top of the world, which I still am. But bit-by-bit it’s sinking in. Everything has changed after the pageant. The media attention and applause feels strange but I’m loving it. Tanu: It’s every girls dream to don the tiara. But did you ever feel that you’ll actually bag the title? Ekta: I entered this competition with the belief that I’ll win the Miss India Universe crown. I knew it in my heart that it was meant to be. I am a person who strongly believes that once we fear something wrong will go wrong, it does. So, I have never feared the worst. I am a very optimistic person who believes that if you work hard for your dreams they do come true. All I had to do was want it real bad, give in my cent percent and then go with the flow. Tanu: Your final answer won the judges. If given a chance would you wish anything had gone differently? Ekta: Definitely not. I am happy just the way things happened. In fact, it was the spontaneity of my responses that impressed the judges the most. The final question posed to me was something I feel very strongly about and that’s the reason it came out so straight and clear. I am a very spiritual person but I feel that religion divides us. It creates differences. We all believe in the supreme power above us. But religion makes us perceive it and worship it in a different way. So much wrong has been done in the name of religion. I lost some of my friends in 26/11, where once again we saw people of different religions being targeted. Tanu: What was going through your head during the final phases of the competition? Ekta: The last few stages were nerve wracking. I felt like this is the make or break moment. Everything depended on those last rounds. I kept on calming myself. I felt like it was my only chance. In my mind I kept saying that ‘there will be no pageants after this, no questions’. I just knew I had to do it. I could not afford to let it slip after being so near to winning it. I just did my best and got the best. Tanu: So, are you single? Ekta: Yes. I am very much single and loving it. I feel that the kind of love I am looking for doesn’t exist today. Tanu: And what kind of love are you looking for? Ekta: Not that I haven’t had relationships. But they have fared badly. I am not looking for a fling, but true love. I am looking for a soul mate, who treats me equally, respects me and completely understands me. But today relationships are like ‘my way or the highway’ and I would be lying if I say I haven’t done that. But now I feel I am looking for a mature relationship. Tanu: So what’s the beauty success code? Ekta: Just dream for the sky and reach for it with all your efforts and will. One needs to be a go-getter. Have faith in yourself and be very secure of your talent. Tanu: And how does Miss India Universe stay so fit? Ekta: To tell you the truth, during the competition, I hurt my back because of which I had put on weight. But back in Delhi I would go to the gym do cardio and weights. I am also a trained classical dancer. I try to dance everyday for at least half an hour to one hour. Also, I love doing aerobics. Tanu: Being a Delhite, what’s the one quality you feel Delhi girls have? Ekta: Well, Delhi girls are a perfect mix of tradition, fun and humility. They are also blessed with a good fashion sense. What’s more is that the city’s climate helps us experiment with our style. Tanu: What role did your family pay in your success? Ekta: My parents have been very supportive all throughout my career. My mother infact was happier than me when I won the crown. Being the only child, I am extremely close to both my parents. When I wanted to take up modeling, my parents didn’t understand, but then I made them see my logic and they told me to follow my dreams. Infact, there was a time when I was on the verge of giving up but my mother encouraged me to follow my heart. So I feel that all this could not have been possible without their support and love. Tanu: So what’s next? Ekta: Right now I am going for a week’s break to spend time with my family and friends, and then I am going to drown myself in training for Miss Universe. I want to get the crown. Tanu: Is Bollywood on your mind? Ekta: I strongly believe in the saying that ‘winners don’t do different things, they do things differently’. So I will do things differently too. Right now I am going to represent my country on a huge platform that will open a lot of prospects for me. I want to explore all my prospects before deciding anything. I am not closed to Bollywood, I just haven’t thought of it as of now. Tanu: If not a Miss India Universe you would be? Ekta: Frankly speaking, a lot of people ask me that and I always lie. To tell you the truth, I have never dreamt of being anything else. But yes, I do have a passion for fashion. So I feel that I would have packed my bags and gone to London to study fashion or maybe art. I would have become a designer or taken up a job in a fashion house.