It’s worse than a nine-to-five job

So what about her childhood ambition?
Like most kids, I wanted to become a doctor. Then I realised that I’d have to study a lot for that. I wanted to become an astronaut because I thought that it was really cool — going into space and all that. But again, I would have to study plenty more and I didn’t want to do that. As of now I have no ambition as such.

How did the modelling clock start ticking?
Since I had my portfolio and not much of anything to do, my mother suggested I enter the Femina Miss India Contest 1996. As luck would have it, I was chosen Miss Beautiful Skin’. There, Hemant Trivedi and Lubna Adams , both dress designers, noticed me. They told me to get into the Look of the Year 1996 Contest’. After that, I kept getting noticed and offers started coming my way. I did my first commercial for Maruti Zen. Others like the Thums Up- the Salman Khan advertisement, Bajaj Bravo, Zip-Sip, and the latest Cinthol with Madhu (Sapre) followed.

Of ramp and commercials, what does she prefer and what’s the difference?
After a point, one gets bored doing ramp. So, I did commercials and press. Now, I balance both. Both are equally tiresome. For a ramp show you are working constantly for two-three days. With commercials, it is more of waiting with no work while the lights and everything is being arranged and readied.

How does she manage to maintain her slim ‘n’ slender frame?
I don’t exercise because I have a bad knee. I do control my food intake. I eat three meals a day and sweets. I did diet initially but diets, exercising, just didn’t work. I guess I lost weight because it was time to. I stick to a regular diet including sweets and I believe that’s enough to keep me fit.

What does it take to make a successful model?
I won’t say it’s just the body. I don’t think Indian models have the best of bodies. It is the entire package that matters. The person should be slightly above average in looks. Its basically how you project yourself to the outside world. Irrespective of how you are inside, it is very important to project oneself as a positive person. That is not to say that one should become a fake. It is how you carry yourself. You should walk properly. There should be a certain surety about yourself. It is called attitude’ in the modelling world.

What are the hitches ?
One tends to get pampered a lot. There is a lot of easy money. So, after you quit active modelling, if you don’t move to films and other related arenas, it gets extremely difficult to get back to a normal routine life. A model’s routine runs erratically. Its worse than a 9 to 5 job. But on the positive side, you meet a lot of people. You learn how to deal with different people under different situations.

Her secret of success?
There is no big secret as such. I don’t believe in Karma. I am basically a take-it-as-it-comes person. For me, things just kept falling into place. I keep planning alternatives to fall back on. My goals are realistic and within grasp, not far-reaching and sky-high. I am not blind to my faults. I set an attainable goal and attain it.

Any bad experiences?
Yes. There are some people who purposely do things to hurt you. Not on your face, but they go on and on behind your back. Earlier, it hurt a lot and I was screwing my own mind. I was shocked that people can actually go out of their way to hurt you.

The kind of commercial she’d give her anything to grab
This might sound strange but I want to do something sensual. Something that is classy and artistically done. Nothing that is crude. Not exactly revealing and body-exposure but something that projects the form, the essence of a woman.

Fleur is most likely to say “Get outta my face.”