She's graced every fashion week since 2000, has been the face of high profile brands and can be seen currently in the Lakme commercial for sunscreen.
Indrani Dasgupta speaks out on her life, her modelling career and being dusky and loving it.
She's graced every fashion week ramp since 2000, has been the face of high profile brands and can be seen currently in the Lakme commercial for sunscreen.
Muscat-born Indrani Dasgupta has certainly come a long way since her chance meeting with Ashish Soni in Greater Kailash market when she was just 18.
"Ashish asked me to come to his store for fittings for a show…and that's how it began. I was 18 and ready to take on the world!" she laughs, dimples flashing.
Band of brands: And take it on she did, (the fashion world at least) with Prabuddha Das Gupta shooting her first campaign for Wills Sport, and a week later she had the Lakmé contract in hand.
Close on the heels of that were the Dior and Allen Solly campaigns and she was pleasantly surprised to win the Society Achiever's Award for glamour in 2002.
"It all happened so quickly that I somehow didn't have to deal with the underbelly of the industry. There are the occasional phone calls, but I simply say I'm not interested. I don't think one can be forced to do something they don't want to and ignorance is really no excuse," she muses, attributing her straightforwardness to her parents.
Just not fair: It is this forthrightness with which Indrani tackled industry doubts regarding her dusky skin and the fact that of the three Lakmé faces, hers isn't the fairest.
"There are a few rules that I've set for myself as far as modelling is concerned," she says steely-eyed, "I have consciously disagreed to shoot for any fairness products all these years, and there were quite a few that came my way! To sell a certain kind of skin colour is not my scene. Honestly, Indians should get over the colonial hangover — the world would kill to get our skin."
Filmy chakkar? With her drop-dead gorgeous looks and obvious confidence, the film industry has definitely come calling, but the lissome Delhi lass has no plan to join up just yet.
"Some feelers have been sent out by Bollywood but I'm in no rush right now. It's a tough choice because a little bit of cleavage can get you a long way, but I love what I do. I guess I'll take it as it comes," she signs off.
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