In an exclusive chat with The Pioneer, Femina Miss India 1st Runner-Up Shreya Poonja discusses her experience of the pageant,life in general,and more.
SHIKHA DUGGAL
India’s most coveted beauty pageant, Femina Miss India was held and our country got its new beauty queen who will now represent India on the international stage. The Pioneer caught up with Femina Miss India 1st Runner-up Shreya Poonja in an exclusive chit-chat, where she spoke about the pageant, life in general, and more.
“When I was walking on the ‘finale’ stage, I saw a whole state cheering my name out loud! What a saga to witness. I really felt like an accomplished woman, who has the leash of her life in her own hands. There was a realisation too, that now something auspicious is going to begin.”
It took a couple of seconds to actually realise that they had announced her name and her reaction, was she ready? You know, there she couldn’t hear the name because she was so overwhelmed with the feeling of being in the top six and she was actually busy clapping. She continued, “My journey didn’t come easy to me like any other beauty queen of this country, so many ups and downs. But wearing a crown really feels so magical, ask me about it! Even my parents are very simple in their personalities, so they had no idea about showbiz. They didn’t want me to enter this industry, honestly.
When I disclosed my final decision to them — came as a shocking revelation for them. Took a lot of time for them to understand why am I driven to media. My deep desire made them understand the importance of the entertainment fraternity in my life. Now what happens is when I am feeling under-confident, they become my cheerleaders.”
In her introduction on the finale night, she had been working and the camera in the truest sense is the love of her life. Everything she wants to do in life has to do with the entertainment industry as a whole. And there are plans too, to someday have her own entertainment firm. But for the time being, she is really looking to diversify her skills for obviously Bollywood. She tells more, “I can see people are embracing our pagents a lot more than the initial years now. The older generation knows how to think correctly about it! The highlight of these competitions is the welcoming nature of women regardless of background, culture, or ethnicity. We don’t walk away with a banner and flowers anymore.”
As a kid, she always had a creative streak in her mind. She was more involved with the plays and dramas than with typical education! On the contrary, her family was more inclined towards academics and led a completely opposite lifestyle than what she was about to she was a little apprehensive, but her vision was clear.
She revealed the family was actually unsure of the uncertainties, and hence the doubts. As an outsider, she showed some guts! “Now if we talk about my fitness regime, especially for the girls who are going to read my interview: let me tell your sweethearts, eat in the right proportions because I do. There is no need for you to go on a harsh diet to be a beauty queen, I don’t suggest it.
Neither there is the need for you to deprive of yourself what you love savouring. Instead, keep yourself busy with innumerable activities, automatically you’ll burn calories.
For example, I dance a lot! You will see me working out, I go for jogs and do pilates.” Something very astounding she led us to, when she confessed that her idol is business tycoon Ratan Tata! But why? Well, “The biggest businessman of our country and so grounded. He’s pulling really good deals for our country. Another reason for my inclination could be that I am also an electronics and finance student. My retirement plan is to die as an entrepreneur! His legacy speaks for itself, I want the same for me.”
