In recent times, our country too, especially Kathmandu, is playing host to a leviathan of beauty contests. And there is no denying the fact that these assemblages manage to gather hordes of participants and equally wider audiences. Be that as it may, a question, however, arises here: Are we producing Oprahs?
In this edition of chit-chat, we try to explore why are such events given rousing receptions by fans and what could be their possible implications?
Republica caught Sahana Bajracharya, 21, first runner-up in Miss Nepal, Kriti Tamang Lama, 17, Miss Teen 2010, Ria Acharya, 18, Miss Teen Green Nepal 2011, Sarmin Rauf, 19, and Pratul J B Rana, 18, winners of The College Ambassador 2010 to discuss, defend and criticize these beauty contests.
“I have always been a very vocal person and I love to be in the limelight ever since I was a kid,” says Sahana, defending her decision to take part in Miss Nepal. The contest, she believes, draws a lot of attention and at the same time polishes a woman.
Ria, turning to Sahana, answers the same question smilingly, “Ladies like her inspired me with confidence,” she says. What a coincidence! Sahana had judged the contest when Ria was crowned the winner.
Kriti, on her part, vied for the crown on her head and that was the biggest inspiration, while Pratul “always wanted to be heard.” Sarmin, on the other hand, thought the contest she participated in “was totally different from others,” and drew an inspiration from.
Their motivations might have been different but they all faced one thing in common and vied each other for the title. And when all the hullabaloos are gone with the announcement of the winners, things begin to unfold differently.
“As soon as the contest is over, all the attention will start fading slowly,” says Sahana, adding, “Why then are we having a beauty pageant every week with immense participation?”
There seems to be no definite answer, not even with the contestants, to this question. All of them, however, hold on to the belief that the trainings they go through make them a better person.
“You are a new you,” is what Pratul argues in this regard. All of them support his argument saying that the grooming sessions provided prior to these contests, have taught them how to talk, walk and pose properly. “We were even taught how to hold the mike,” puts in Sarmin.
But being taught to talk and walk in a definite manner and to produce that fake smile on one’s face can definitely not give a good lesson. The contestants, at the end of the day, might just lose the real person that they are.
“Fake or not, a smile looks good on stage and nobody would like to be caught on camera with a grumpy look,” states Sahana. But, what about the cerebral answers they are expected to give and the intellectual person they are compelled to be? To this question, Pratul’s answers: “You don’t have to be yourself if you can become someone else.”
The talk continued on the prejudging round and they informed that there is a prejudgment round prior to the finale which in most cases will decide a 70 percent of the final result.
Asked if the judgment is fair, Sahana, burst in, “I can only guarantee of Miss Nepal and that too only the one I took part in,” while other participants nodded on the affirmative.
When asked to comment on what it is like on the real day when all the trainings, lecture and grooming classes had been done? Sahana describes it as a ‘rush day’. For Ria, it is a day of ‘nervousness.’ “I wasn’t even smiling on stage,” she says. Kriti and Sarmin share similar experience.
“But all the pain is worth it all when you think of how you get to represent your country,” puts in Sahana. “This opportunity,” Sahana continues, “Comes only with the Miss Nepal title.” However, rest of them seem to take their respective stances on such contests.
Here Pratul complains of lack of opportunity for males to take part in such contests. “I would definitely like to participate in a bigger contest if there is one,” he comments in a wry humor.
Other complaints about the events echoed by them include: excessive commercialization and the show being devoid of quality.
“If a contestant fumbles, it’s because they are not trained properly and if the dresses they donned are hideous, it is what the organizers gave them,” argues Sahana in support of this statement, while others nod in agreement.
They heap the blame on the organizers for all the problems bedeviling the beauty pageant and believe that these contests being viewed in a negative light has very little to do with contestants.
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