Stumble on the catwalk!

Remember that scene from Bhandarkar's Fashion where the small-town model Priyanka Chopra is scoffed at by her Mumbai counterpart?
Yes, a pertinent clich��, but there might yet be truth to it. And though Hyderabad isn't really a small-town, models from here do find themselves pitted rather steeply against models from Mumbai, even for shows in Hyderabad.And that's the reason why many a models in the city are abandoning the ramp for alternate and more lucrative professions.
Some of the well-known faces on the city modelling circuit have shifted to a public relations career for clubs and pubs, or to DJ-ing. Some others have moved out of the city to keep their modelling dreams alive. "It's tough times for models. There's not much good work happening here, and there's mostly a lack of professionalism in dealings with models. When we joined the field, there were rigid standards to meet. But these days, with many a modelling schools giving crash courses, the standards have plummeted," says Sharon, a model who shifted to DJ-ing which she feels is a career just as glamourous. There's word around the modelling circuit also about a particular incident a couple of years back that showed models from the city in poor light. "At a show, one of the models had to back out as she was taking part in another show and that's when a P3P was called to fill in at the end moment. It was a mess, and as the show was choreographed by a Mumbai-based choreographer, word spread that Hyderabad does not have good professional models. Since then, for shows organised in Hyderabad by agencies from outside, models from Mumbai are preferred," adds Sharon. Aradhana Reddy and Tamashree are other models who have become PRs while models like Karan, Farheen and Farhad have moved to Mumbai.
Interestingly, the remuneration for models in Hyderabad isn't glamourous either! Amateurs are paid between Rs 2,000 to Rs 3,000 per show, while established models get between Rs 5,000 and Rs 7,000. Compare this to models from Mumbai who take away anywhere between Rs 15,000 to Rs 20,000. A PR job or DJ-ing fetches anywhere between Rs 50,000 to Rs 1 lakh in a month. And with not more than one show happening in a month, models are looking for greener pastures. Tamashree, who's now moved to a marketing profession says, "The problem in Hyderabad is that anybody can become a model! You see models who don't even look like models! The money comes down and the good ones get left out even from the few shows happening!"
Also, as the peak modelling season is limited to a couple of months ��� from October to December, "most models try other options too," says Sadhana, who's also worked as a PR professional. She also says, "There's no comparison between Mumbai and Hyderabad. Mumbai is a more happening city and there's a lot of work there. In Hyderabad, the scene isn't that great, and even then, there are only a handful of good models."
But there's hope still. Sadhna was picked up from Hyderabad by choreographer Farah Khan for a show which had mostly foreign models. And Hyderabad is growing too, with the city waking up to fashion and designer wear like never before. With a dose of professionalism and good faces, modelling might yet take a turn for the better.