“It was nerve wrecking, loopy. I might assume, ‘Did I really make it to the Miss India stage?’ In the 12 months that Lara Dutta, Dia Mirza, Priyanka Chopra, all of them received, Waluscha De Sousa was additionally a contestant that 12 months. If you watch that pageant, there was a swimsuit spherical wherein paparazzi got here out.

“Guess who was in that? I was one of them! Because it happened in Pune, where I lived. I was a college student then. I was the paparazzi on stage, clicking them! I didn’t know who was going to win, but it was that round and we had to click them like paps,” she stated.

Lara Dutta was the winner of the Miss Universe 2000 whereas Priyanka Chopra received Miss World 2000. Dia Mirza was topped Femina Miss India Asia Pacific 2000.

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Two years later, Gauahar Khan stated she was on the Miss India stage as a contestant with out even auditioning for it. She stated, “When I had despatched my photos, I obtained a name from Femina. I had malaria after they known as me, so I stated, ‘I won’t be capable of come.’ But they insisted I come as a result of they’d appreciated my photos.

“I went in simple jeans and t-shirts, wearing a shawl, no make up, nothing. I was shivering, they saw me and sent me home. I did no swimsuit rounds, no weight or height check. Next day I got a call that I was selected for the national rounnds!”

Gauahar Khan ultimately received the title of Femina Miss India International 2002 after which represented India at Miss International 2002 in Tokyo, Japan. She made her movie debut in Ranbir Kapoor’s Rocket Singh: Salesman of the Year and has featured in motion pictures like Ishaqzaade, Badrinath Ki Dulhaniya amongst others.