...........................................................................Model of the Month

Young, pretty and confident

Born on August 2 , Sushma Reddy comes from a family of three high-profile sisters . She has a microbiologist for a mother. Her two sisters are Meghna, the model cum Channel V veejay, and Sameera, who is an aspiring actress. Having completed her graduation in economics from Mithibai College, she was preparing for her MBA entrance when a modelling offer came her way . Not knowing what to do, it was at her sister Meghna's insistence that she took up the offer. "I was too bookish to even think about modelling!" says Sushma.

Her TV Commercials

00Sushma Reddy hit the world of TV commercials with the Jenson and Nicholson ad. Ever since, she has been the face of Tripti Atta. She is the hair behind Organics Shampoo, the face behind Lakme, and Salman Khan's sweetheart in the Thumps Up commercial. However, Sushma's stint as a production assistant with Channel V was not at all successful. " It is just not my cup of tea", says Sushma. Despite her success as a model, she has never really taken to ramp modelling for as she puts it, " Walking down the ramp in the midst of a room full of some three hundred people is very trying . I would not even know what to do. I feel so uncomfortable with a live audience in front of me ."

On the World of Fashion

Asked about her colleagues in the industry, Sushma says that her experience with them has been pleasant but insists that most people involved with the industry have a complicated personality ."It is a dog eat dog industry and each one is out to cut your throat when ever they get a chance. In certain ways, its a soul-destroying field for many individuals ," says Sushma. Very passionate about issues relating to the fashion industry, she says that certain standards need to be set as there is large scale exploitation of models, especially newcomers .According to Sushma, "In this highly competitive market, it is extremely important that some big guy in the industry chances upon you and brings you to the limelight".

Having worked with some of the big wigs in the fashion industry, Sushma enjoys working with Faroque Gotia. She believes that Prabudha Dasgupta is one of the truly creative photographers around. Recently, Sushma had worked with Mirula Franka, the renowned Italian fashion photographer and in Sushma's words, "It was really an experience in itself." In her view, "Fashion is becoming more and more of a craze in India with people willing to try out various designs and becoming adventurous". As far as working in the industry is concerned, she definitely enjoys it, but that does not stop her from saying that it is "too stagnating a profession".

Her Interests

A self proclaimed perfectionist, she oozes confidence when it comes to talking about any of her future ventures. A practicing acupuncturist, she has completed a course in holistic medicine and is currently planning to launch her herbal beauty care company, Reddy's Holistic Care Pvt. Ltd. Recently Sushma joined a theatre workshop which she feels will help her "polish the performer that is in her. " This confident young lady is very passionate about her spiritual beliefs, which border on Buddhisim. She also firmly believes in animal rights.

By: Sharmistha Chatterjee