Miss India UAE auditions in Dubai: Here’s how you can participate

When a beaming Aishwarya Rai Bachchan received a special award last December, presented to her by the Miss World organisation, the former beauty queen spoke about her 20-year journey that appropriated her from the relative anonymity of a gawky young model to an award-winning film actress today.

“To have the opportunity to hold the title, to wear the crown with pride... that was my one time to go out there and experience beauty with a purpose...” she said.

For young starry-eyed dreamers from the UAE, their ‘one time’ has come now.

This weekend, organisers will be scouting for their ‘Miss India UAE’, shortlisting 15 candidates to participate in the final pageant to be held on April 11 at Al Raha Beach Resort, Abu Dhabi.

Open auditions will be held on Saturday at the GQ Bar, JW Marriott Marquis with residents between the age of 18 and 25 years invited to put their best foot forward and maybe even strut their way into the final 15.

Speaking to Emirates 24|7, pageant spokesperson Eisha Ramrakhiani said: “To put it simply, we are looking for girls who have what it takes to represent the UAE at the Miss India Worldwide pageant in September; they need to be intelligent, street smart and refrain from mouthing ‘Mother Theresa’ and ‘World Peace’ as their go-to responses to hard hitting questions.”

Ramrakhiani laughed and continued: “Brains top beauty any day; we are moving away from the ‘size zero’, white skin stereotype to look for intelligent, fit people who epitomise the adage, ‘beauty is more than being skin deep’.”

The benchmark set by the judges includes being physically ‘fit’, a minimum height of five feet six inches ‘to carry outfits better’ and the ability to walk with ‘confidence’.

Prompted further, she added: “It’s a beauty pageant so it’s bound to be a little materialistic; but we want to reiterate that nobody is perfect, but if you are confident about your imperfections, then we have a place for you.”

Without revealing names of the judges, Ramrakhiani stated a local designer and a make-up artist will be hosting the auditions, with the 15 finalists undergoing six days of intense training to prepare for the Miss India UAE pageant next month.

Exclusive one-on-one training sessions will be provided by Fitness Mantra for the contestants, who will be mentored by Mumbai-based fashion choreographer Retesh Narian, dance choreographer Satyen Babla from DANS and celebrity fashion photographer Rohan Gandotra.

“The training and mentoring sessions organised for the contestants are by industry experts. Previous contestants and winners have been recognised by the Indian glamour industry and currently work in Bollywood or take up modelling assignments,” stated Ramrakhiani.

Winner of the Miss India UAE 2015, sponsored by Emirates Vision Events, will also bag the title as ‘Face of Itan Jewellers’ for the year and ‘Face of Masala Chai’ for the coming season.

How you can participate

Participants must be between the age of 18 to 25, unmarried and a UAE resident.

Open auditions will be held on March 28 between noon and 4pm.

The Miss India UAE pageant was established in 2004. The winner is given a platform to automatically enter into the International pageant Miss India Worldwide.

Miss India Worldwide 2014 was held previously in the UAE and this year, it will be held in Mumbai.

(Image via Shutterstock)

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