Small-town dentist dazzles on the runway

Hailing from small town Maharashtra, dentist and model Anuradha Nayudu is living her dream of walking the ramp.
A few weeks ago when we saw Anuradha Nayudu at the Lakme Fashion Week auditions, she seemed like a fish out of water.

Today the 25-year-old model from Nagpur seems more comfortable in her skin.

Nayudu, who lost her parents a few years ago, plans to pursue her studies abroad after testing the waters in showbiz.
Here she shares her experiences at the Lakme Fashion Week

From the little you've seen of showbiz is it what you were expecting it to be?

I must confess the general perception of the fashion industry is far from what it really is. It isn't remotely close to what they showed in (the movie) Fashion. People here are very professional. It is like any other industry actually.

How are you taking to this place?

It is a really nice feeling. Sometimes all this seems like a dream.Very often I feel I don't fit in here but the truth is that being a model has added a new dimension to my life. I come from a small town and a conservative background. This aspect of my life has given me the experience I would have never otherwise got.

What was it like, walking the ramp for the first time at LFW?

I have to say that I wasn't at all nervous. It was Narendra Kumar's show at Tote and I was quite relaxed. In fact I felt quite nice after that. But when I began to see other models walking the ramp later, I realised that there was a lot to learn be it the way I walked or the way I carried myself! It was only after a few shows I became a very conscious of myself.

Watch the video of Anuradha's interview at the Lakme Fashion Week auditions

Have you made any friends so far?

I have been speaking with a lot of international models and people from the industry. But I can't really say I've made friends.

You also participated in the I am She Miss India Universe contest. What was that experience like?

I was glad I could be part of the contest. That was where I got my first lessons in grooming, walking, dieting and working out.

Did you always want to be a model?

Yes! Actually I always wanted to be part of the Miss India contest. But I had to complete my studies. By the time I was done, I was too old for Femina Miss India. (The cut-off age limit is 24 and she was 25 by then.) But then I heard about the I am She Miss India contest and I participated there. I managed to get to the final 30.

What are your future plans?

I plan to go to Pune after this and complete a course after which I am planning to sign up with a modelling agency. I will see how things go in the next one year. If they don't go the way I hope to, I plan to go to the US and complete my Masters.