‘Diva’licious beauty!

Walking for ace designers like Rohit Bal and Beena Kannan, two Malayalam feature films, several ramp walk titles in her kitty, and to think, she’s only 24! Bengaluru-based model Aileena Catherin Amon has always wanted to carve a niche on the ramp and now, she’s at it in full swing! Standing tall as a finalist amongst hundreds of other girls in the Yamaha Fascino Miss Diva contest, she’s now set to be mentored by the true diva and Miss Universe 2000, Lara Dutta. What’s more? Aileena will also be a part of a TV series hosted by Lara!

“It’s a once in a lifetime opportunity as winning this means entering the Miss Universe contest and a chance to bring the crown home,” says a visibly excited Aileena.

The Kochi-born lass might have had a lot of grueling tasks at hand, but she admits that she loved having to always put her best foot forward. “I’ve always been passionate about modeling. Although my dad is an inspection officer at a bank and my mom is a professor, they have always been supportive. They didn’t take me seriously at first and thought it was just a phase,” says Aileena who recently bagged the Miss South India 2015 title and has also been a part of two Malayalam movies – Hi, I’m Tony and Ayaan Njanala. Her best friend scored her her first show and now, being mentored by the diva of Bollywood, has been her biggest gig ever. “It’s inspiring to listen to her words of wisdom. She has already been there, done that and has insider knowledge,” says the lass who is on the show being aired on Romedy Now and Fox Life with the former beauty queen until October 18.

Standing tall at 5’5”, Aileena balances academia too. Now a Masters student at St Josephs College of Commerce in Bengaluru, she believes that one will always find time for the things that they are most passionate about. “I also love reading and always have a Paulo Coelho, John Grisham or Dan Brown novel wherever I go,” says the bookworm who also started a library for the tots of Nazareth School Aluva to inculcate the habit in them. “This gig has been out of my comfort zone so far, and I plan to rise to the occasion,” she smiles.