Bringing Poise And Perfection In the Glamour World

Bringing Poise And Perfection In the Glamour World

She is young, wild and free. But when it comes to her dreams, she knows there is a discipline that is required in order to succeed in an industry which brings with it the risks of an unpredictable career trajectory. Meet 23-year-old Rhea Resham Bari. Chances are you might have seen her in the MTV reality show India’s Next Top Model where she was one of the finalists. Her picture with 90s hunk Milind Soman, one of the judges in the show, was one of the most popular ones seen on billboards across Mumbai.

Despite fame coming her way at a young age, this Odia lass from Bhubaneswar is shy, grounded and poised. For someone who has no godfather in the industry and no member of the family venturing out to try their luck in the world of modeling, the journey in the glamour world can be exciting yet nerve-wrecking. Moving from a state like Odisha where people still harbour misconceptions about young women joining the modeling world, for Rhea, it has beena tough path laced with challenges. ButRhea has seen it, done it and is inching closer to her big dream by the day. She made her family and the state proud when she featured in the popular reality show on MTV – India’s Next Top Model.

A student of Performing Arts from Bangalore Christ College, Rhea knew early on what path she wanted to walk on. Doubts and uncertainties from friends and family followed. So, she decided to find a mid-way. “I believe in following my dreams and always had an interest in acting. And therefore, I wanted to pursue something related to it. I was lucky enough to find that Christ provides a course in acting so I immediately filled the forms.” Moving out of her shell was important for her but her father did ask her to pursue her graduation first. “The course included theatre, music and dance along with Psychology and English. I spoke to my parents about it and they, too, felt it was a good back-up thing for what I wanted to pursue. However, I couldn’t complete my course. I began modeling thereafter. I did courses and then, got in touch with certain people from the industry. I joined their agency and things started from thereon.”

Making through the cut can be scary. But Rhea managed to make it. And her parents too supported it once they saw what she was doing. “I had done a few local shoots and all. Major modelling assignments came in 2016.” Two years later, things began to shine brighter than she had expected. She began 2018 with the Anita Dongre show and followed it up with India Beach Fashion Week. Her major stint came with India’s Next Top Model. “It was the highlight of 2018. We started with 23 girls. 16 of us made it to the next round. We were then shortlisted to top 11. We performed tasks with our mentors and judges.” She performed two tasks – one with the 90s heartthrob Milind Soman and the other was an underwater task. The show was Rhea’s first brush with reality television. “I learnt a lot about how television industry works and how things go behind the scenes. I always wanted to be a part of the show. It was a dream come true.”

Not many people know the kind of life models lead. Some assume it is all about wearing designer clothes and walking the ramp surrounded by glitz and glamour. What many do not know is how hard it can be to bag assignments and learn the nitty-gritties of walking on the ramp, showcasing oneself and more. The hard life can take a toll on who a person really is. Rhea calls herself a shy person who prefers keeping a close circle of friends around her. In an industry where the demarcation between acquaintance and friends blur frequently, she knows it is important to know people from the industry. “We have a group of four people, one of them is Miss India Goa and the other is also doing really well. It is a misconception that models cannot be friends. I take my own time to be comfortable with people because I give my 100% and expect the same from them. I have a lot of acquaintances. With friends, I’d say it is quality over quantity.”

The last two years have seen a major awareness coming in about ensuring safer workplaces for women. But has this led to any change in the way the industry treats women? “I do believe a few dynamics have changed. Women earlier were not speaking up because no one supported them and no action was ever taken. Now, there is scope for that. Buteverything takes time. We can’t expect things to stop after one incident. Nevertheless, things are on the verge of improvement.”

Ask about International Women’s Day and Rheafeels that women should not be needing a day to feel special. “I don’t think we women need a day to feel special. I believe every day is Women’s Day if we are treated with the love and respect that we deserve. Definitely, we are better off than our mothers in the kind of opportunities we receive. We have more choices to do what we want. Time has played its part and people are more accepting now. I think it’s a fair play. The only change I’d want is a shift in societal attitude. Not to put any barriers on us and to let us stay free without judgments and prejudices.”