Hyderabad's next Beauty queen?

Life has taken a beautiful turn for city girl Irshikaa Mehrotra. Earlier this month, she was adjudged one of the 25 finalists of a prominent national-level beauty contest. And while the 22-year-old is “loving every bit of the attention and even a small fan base”, she is not letting it get to her head. Because there’s a lot of work left, she admits.

“In 25 days, on April 5, we will get to know if I win the title. And, if that happens, I want to get that elusive Miss World crown back home,” says Irshikaa, whose only other stint with modelling has been at the city’s RSI beauty pageant in 2009 when she won the May Queen crown.

This time, her preparations are, of course, more rigorous. While she is blessed with good skin and enough experience on stage (she is also a national-level debater), Irshikaa needs to control the Punjabi within her and brush up her painting skills for the talent round.

“I have given up on dal makhani, butter chicken and brownies too. I am working out rigorously as we have bikini rounds lined up in Sri Lanka this week. It’s a matter of 25 days,” says the girl from Army background.

Does the bikini round scare her? “No. We had bikini sessions during auditions as well. Since I knew nobody at the audition, I wasn’t conscious.” But what does make her conscious, these days, is what she says and how. “We had a session with Miss India trainer Sabira Merchant. I learnt so much. So, even as I speak to you, I am thinking if I should be this candid or not,” says Irshikaa, quickly adding, “Hear me speak after 25 days, I will be more eloquent.”

Whatever be the results, Irshikaa has a plan B to fall back on. “I am currently pursuing Masters in financial economics from Madras School of Economics, Chennai. I am academically stable, that’s why I tried my hands at modelling,” says Irshikaa.