Journalism of Courage
After having lived the high life,models are now reinventing themselves by training in less volatile career options
Meet Aubaid Wani,an MBA by education and working as the Asst Manager Marketing,with a city-based company. Whats so unusual about that,some might ask? Well,whats definitely unusual is the fact that Wani is also a model and has featured in print and ramp campaigns in the past. Ask him why the switch from modeling to MBA and he answers,Well,its a natural progression and one that I had decided on while still modeling. Modelling agencies keep changing models and need new faces all the time,so its not really a long-term career options. Besides,as Wani puts it,Modeling is used by many as a stepping stone to films and TV. But in my case,financial security was always paramount and thats why I completed my MBA degree.
From walking the ramp in stilettos and donning greasepaint for the arclights to picking up thick tomes and burning the midnight oil,the model life has surely seen a metamorphosis. The days when modeling was a single-minded pursuit are definitely past and now,its a secure career and a Plan B,which scores highest on most models agenda. As Kaehelee Ghorpade,a first year student at Fergusson College says,for her education is of paramount importance. Modelling,for me,is always an option to be explored,but having a professional degree under my belt obviously is very high priority, she adds.
Similar views are expressed by Pragya Jaiswal,a 21-year-old model,whos been a Miss India and Ford Supermodel 2008 finalist but is also pursuing a law degree from Symbiosis. So too for Kohposh Sapru,a student of engineering at the D Y Patil College. He says,Theres absolutely no doubt that education gets a lot of weightage in my scheme of things. I do want to be a model but I also want to have a secure future and for that,an engineering degree is essential. Sapru says that with the recession on,Its difficult to find regular work in the modeling field and thats when a rock solid education bails you out.
Archana Padmanbhan,who’s a fourth year student of Hotel Management at the D Y Patil Institute,says work in the field is erratic and unpredictable. “That’s why having a professional qualification becomes all the more important,because on good days,you may have five assignments in a row and on lean days,you may be left high and dry,” she adds.
Clearly,when it comes to modeling your life on the right lines,a Plan B is second to none and part of a well thought-out process for most models around town.
