(theme music) - And Miss World 2000, is Miss India. (audience cheering) - [Narrator] While the West has turned its back on Miss
World, India has excelled. In the last seven years, Miss India contestants have won six of the world's top beauty titles. These new jewels in the crown have been selected from
3000 hopefuls across India. (upbeat music) One of them will become
a woman in a billion and take the Miss India title. On stage, Medha walks like a beauty queen, but what she says behind the scenes is a very different story. - I am a person who is painfully truthful. I cannot say, "Oh yeah, okay. "How are you? I'm also good, I love you." And in a second say, "Fucking bitch, do I hate you or do I hate you." I cannot do that. Sonal's pictures suck. I don't know, they've just
draped that girl's face. - Jasremal, has droopy everything. Droopy eyebrows, droopy eyes. Fucking, I hate that babe. Gauhar is, I'm too good for this crowd. What am I doing here? Allah will take care of
me. Allah is everything. She's a fucking religious fanatic. If they have a title for the
biggest bitch, that goes to me. (Medha chuckles) The biggest bitch in town. - [Narrator] Downtown Mumbai,
the five-star Meridian Hotel. Home for the next 40 days
to the highest concentration of beautiful women in the world. It looks like a luxury hotel. In reality, it's a production line, a boot camp factory for making
beautiful women perfect. The camp is the brainchild of India's glossy
women's magazine, Femina. The beauty business is big business. Beauty queens are not born, they're made, and India has made more than anyone else. - For a country like India, because it's a very new
feeling to have winners, a new feeling of pride in our women, it's still big. Maybe 20 years down the line we will have had so many winners we won't be interested in it anymore. But right now it's giving
all of us a sense of pride. It's giving all of us a sense of belonging in an international society, that we are on par, we are good. And today people are saying, hey, some of the most beautiful
women come from India. - [Narrator] Medha is a
well-established model from Southern India, she's 20. She's absolutely Western in her outlook and believes she's got what
the judges are looking for. - They want somebody who's
very poised, very stylish, very polite, humble, sexy. You gotta be a bit of
everything, you know? And whatever you do,
you gotta be good at it. So that's what they want. And I think I can live up to that image. (bright upbeat music) - [Narrator] In the next 40 days, the 26 finalists will be pushed
to their limits and beyond by India's most demanding trainers. In previous years, the
appearance of semi naked women in beauty pageants has
provoked riots in India. But the disapproval of
diehard traditionalist, isn't going to stop the beauty machine. Morning call at 5:30,
curfew at 10 o'clock, no food outside the diet regime, no alcohol, no smoking in public. Every move is watched. ♪ You know I'm not that kind ♪ ♪ Come on, I said our love ♪ - [Narrator] During the
camp, the way the girls look, speak, think, and even move, will be scrutinized and corrected. This will be a life-changing experience. - Rubbish. Where is the expression? That's not an expression. It's like when you walk into a room, you have to create your
presence in an environment, which is like, God knows how many people from different segments of society. So if you can walk into
a room holding your own and have heads turn to look
at you, you've achieved. So I think that's what
they're really looking at, the confidence that comes with the walk. ♪ Cause I'm not that kind of girl ♪ Indian women in the past used to walk five steps behind the man, or they were made to
look down while walking. Because they were so
shy, they used to slouch. I have to break that myth. I have to tell them; Stand tall, look at people,
look into their eyes, be sexy, give me attitude. - [Narrator] Presence
and poise on the catwalk are second nature to Medha. - Lubna liked my walk today, I just walked once and she was
like, "Very nice, very nice." So that gave me a major high. Sonal, she's a very good friend of mine. She's my best friend here. She's very jerky when she walks. I've told her like a million times, that you've gotta take the
rhythm, you gotta be graceful. But I don't know, it's
not happening with Sonal. I've taught her like so
many times, it's not funny. And Sonal's expression
keeps shifting, you know? She'll enter with a smile, she'll do that. And then she'll go like that, and then she'll go there again, and again like that. So the shift of expressions
looks like nervousness on stage. - [Lubna] You keep changing your mouth, and your eyes are very nervous. They're looking, looking,
looking, shaking, moving, moving. - [Narrator] Sonal, 20, from Mumbai, is a hot favorite for Miss
India, but inexperienced. - I've never been on stage in front of like a live
audience, you know? So it's gonna be a little tough for me, but considering that it's gonna take me, like, I dunno where, and it's
gonna put me in seven heavens. I think that will actually
just help me not to get nervous because I know this title to me is very, very, very important. Because for as long as I remember, I've always dreamt of winning this title. (audience applauding) - [Narrator] And the spectacular
success of past Miss Indias shows it's a dream that can come true. - Do you feel like extra pressure when you came here this week knowing that, you know, wow, Miss India won last year, you know, I'm gonna be compared. Was there pressure? - There's always been pressure, but I work best under pressure. And if there's no pressure,
there won't be any expectation. And without expectation I
won't strive for enthusiasm. (audience cheers) - Each and every one of
you has a certain magic. Everyone has it. Everyone's born with it. So I want you to explore that. I want you to go within
yourself and get that out. Everyone has it, every single person. (Sonal clears throat) - Sorry. Hello, everybody. This
is Sonal from Mumbai. The reason why I'm here is because I believe in myself, and I consider Miss India to
be such a prestigious title. It gives you an opportunity to, um... No, sorry, sorry. - Why are you mumbling? Why are you sort of forgetting what you're gonna say? No, I want you to be dead
sure of what you're saying. Start again. Start again, and no
sort of speaking to them and say, oh, what did I forget? No, you're all alone there.
You're an island right there. - Miss India, being such
a prestigious title, opens the doors to various
opportunities in life. - We have to make it appear as if the girl is not appearing contrived, practiced, who is absolutely rehearsed. Which is one of the things I teach them, that when the question is posed to you, don't answer it, (indistinct), like saying, of course,
that's what I meant. No, think about it as if
the judge has asked you a very intelligent, thought
provoking question, which it is. So take your time, think
about it and say, well, even if you know the question, think and appear as if you don't and then say, "Well, that's what I feel." - Femina Miss India contest
will give me a platform to prove myself and to voice my opinions and gather public support. - I want you to use your eyes. I want you to feel what you're saying, not just say, and then leave it. - I'm a person who believes
in offering a smile to all, - I have to have that inner
magic starting this moment. Every moment when you
get up in the morning and say, I believe in myself, I believe in myself and I know I'm good. I know, and I'm going to get there by God. (bright upbeat music) - Hold it. Hold, hold, hold, don't stop. Come on! - [Narrator] Under the
eye of the trainers, the transformation continues. But as the days pass, the
girls come to resemble a more Western stereotype of beauty. And they're careful to protect their skins from getting any darker. - I hate to tarn. Oh please, I'm already brown. I'm trying to look fair and you're trying to make me dark, no way. I don't want to look black,
any darker then I'll be black. - And everybody says
when the child is born, "Oh, is he fair, or is she fair? I just don't want a dusky child." I mean the dusky child could be fabulous, but hey, we don't want it. I don't know why. Oh, goody hair, goody hair. Goody means, oh she's fair. (indistinct) Madame means, looks like a Madame. (Sabira laughs) So, they think that's fantastic. And I say, goodness me. I said, this child has
got fabulous features, why don't you look at the features? She could be unbelievably beautiful. Why do you want a fair fat child rather than have a slim, dark beauty? No, they'd rather have
the fair fat one, any day. - [Narrator] But in the beauty business, there's no room for excess. Up to the minute technology is used to scan the girls for body fat. Every surplus ounce must go. Medha. - A classic Indian woman's
figure is hour glass shaped. A big bust, not a very slim waste, but in comparison to the
bust, quite a slender waist, and a big bottom. Most designers, I've
spoken to so many of them, and they say that a model
should not have curves. A model should have a prominent
collarbone and shoulders. The rest should be just flat.
It should be like a hanger. - 62 and a half. - I have a problem. I mean, I'm a bit too flabby on my thighs. So I need to like run
and do a lot of weights to turn that fat into muscles. And my stomach, I have
a little bit of a ponch. That's it. I need to get rid of that. - [Narrator] And fat's
not the only problem; There's hair as well. - I'm very hairy here, this section. I mean, just below my neck, and then otherwise it decreases gradually as it goes lower. I do a lot of threading, but
I don't touch my facial hair. I apply a lot of bleach it. Once in six months, that's
what I do. Not too often. I do thread my eyebrows.
I do thread my upper lip. But not my face. I, Sonal, love myself. - [Namit] Okay, great. (all clap) - I don't think I even need this mirror. - [Namit] You do, because- - [Narrator] It's camp
psychologist, Namit Kapoor's job to push them into seeing
beyond their imperfections. - I, Neha, love myself. - [Namit] That's it. Great, Neha. (all clap) - [Namit] Chigu?
- Chigu. - [Namit] Chigu?
- Yeah. - [Namit] So, I Chigu...
- [Chigu] Yeah. - What? - [Chigu] Love myself. - Say it! - Love myself. - [Namit] Look at the mirror. - I just love myself. - Okay. (all clap) So why we did what we did, anyone know? We're making you happy. Comfortable. - [Model 1] To open up. - To open up. - [Model 2] Shed our inhibitions. - Shed your inhibitions. Okay, fantastic. So all I'm saying is when your
senses are alive, so are you. And when you are turned up, you'll fire up your audience, isn't it? And you are going to be
idiotic for one full minute, in front of everyone. Okay. Now, your time starts now. - [Narrator] Namit Kapoor wants the girls to make fools of themselves
in a safe environment. So that later, in front of the cameras, they'll have no fear. Medha's first. (models giggle) - [Namit] Okay, okay, okay. (all clap) Okay. Sonal, your time starts now. - What do I do? (Sonal vocalizing) - [Namit] Great! Wow. (Sonal vocalizing) Okay, that's it. ♪ Cause I'm not that kind of girl ♪ ♪ I'm not that kind of girl ♪ - [Narrator] The emotional
demands of the camp are really getting to Sonal. Her boyfriend gets the brunt of it. - I'm busy. No, I'm busy in the morning.
I have shootings all day. I cannot see anybody. We just cannot stay without each other, we might just fight over
like an hour or something. That's the maximum we fight.
And then we get back to normal. I might call him back and fight with him for the next two, three hours. But we are in constant touch. We might not make up, but we do call back and then, you know, have another argument. Then I bang the phone
down, he bangs the phone. Again, I'll call back, or he'll call back. So it continues. The fight continues for
the next three, four hours, probably the whole day. But it's not that we just hang up and not call till like the
next morning or something. It's never been like this. - [Narrator] Medha's boyfriend
is also feeling the heat. - This is last night, "Baby, I went mad. I tore up my records, broke some CDs and sat on the floor
crying, I lost myself. Please don't ever do that to
me again. I love you too much." This is after we made up, you know? I don't even know what I said. I was like, "You're such
a fucked up bastard, you're a fuck, you're this! You're nothing but a sick dick." I don't even know what I said. (Medha laughs) - [Narrator] But if the
pressure seems bad now, it's nothing to what's in store. - [Announcer] Get channel four box hits, catch and more with the O2 Priority App - Tell the truth! - If you weren't with Jamie, do you think anything
would happen between us? - Yes! - [Announcer] Never miss a thing. - Oh, your (indistinct) is coming off. - Sometimes, you either
have class or you don't. - [Announcer] It's just
another way we do more for you. Download Priority in your app store now. (enchanting music) (all humming) - [Narrator] India is a
deeply religious country. For the 26 finalists in the
Miss India training camp, meditation and spiritual life
is central to the regime. - Ria wanted us to just chant om, because all O-M-A, that's what she said. O, vibrates here, M, vibrates here, and, ma, vibrates in your rib cage. The vibrations send out good feelings. They just send out the bad vibes
and take in the good vibes. - But not all the contestants
share the same religion. Gauhar is alone in being a devout Muslim. - Over here, the question of
religion, caste, doesn't arise. Because all of us over
here are on one platform, and there are people from
different religions over here, not only Islam, you know? There are Christians, there
are Jews, and that's very great because all of us are
coming together as Indians. The very fact remains that I'm an Indian. - [Narrator] But just being Indian, doesn't make it easy to live together. - You know what happened
in the art of living class? The word, om, does not belong
to any one religion, okay? Om, just means peace, okay? It is not Hinduism, it's not
Buddhism, it's not Jainism. It's not Christianity,
it's not Muslim, anything. It's just a word. Gauhar said, "I cannot say,
om, I'm not comfortable. It's not in the Muslim book,
in the holy book of Koran." So she started chanting,
ami, or something like that. So all of us go, om, and she goes, ami. It's very weird. - Allah u akbar. (speaking in foreign language) Allah u akbar - [Medha] Allah has taken care
of me. Allah the almighty. Allah will take care of me. Allah is everything. She's a religious fanatic. - I mean, I'm a typical Islamic girl. I mean, if anyone sits
and asks me about Islam, I will go like, ta, ta, ta, on it. But this is my job. I've been
doing this for some time now. I've been modeling for a few years. And as long as Allah is with you, and you're following what he has taught. He's there with you. He's
not gonna oppose anything. Whatever you do, whatever
field you take up. You walk along with Allah's blessings. (bright upbeat music) - They are very aware of themselves. They're very aware of their
sexuality, in a nice way. They're not... They're not as Western as maybe some parts of the Western world where they may wear the skimpiest
of clothes on the street. They're not like that.
They're still conservative. But they are aware of themselves, and because they are aware of themselves, they know how to interact with men. There's definitely a
kind of an eye contacting established today, and I'm just trying to
bring that out onto stage where you don't really have
to be sexy to one person, but it's an impression you give, which makes a difference
from just a flat smile, which says nothing. - Hi everyone, I'm Neha. - [Lubna] Look at the
nervousness on some of you. Look at the eyes. Where are
the eyes when you're walking? - I'm (indistinct) for myself. And with God's blessings I shall succeed. - Where are the eyes when you're talking? All that, as I keep repeating, you are a package, a
package has to be perfect. - [Narrator] Every look,
every step is analyzed and picked over, but this is exactly how
they'll be seen by millions. - You're slouching. Hold your glance, and
use your mouth right. It's too fidgety. - [Sonal] Hello everybody.
This is Sonal from Mumbai. - [Lubna] See your right
hand, see your left hand, see the way it is sitting on your waist. See the shoulders, there's no
arch. It's totally slouched. Your stomach is collapsing. (bright upbeat music) (indistinct) (indistinct) - Win, win. Walk, walk. Quiet, quiet. Whine, whine. (bright upbeat music) - [Namit] So freeze. - [Narrator] Halfway through the training. Camp psychologists, Namit Kapoor, asks the girls to think themselves back to a childhood state of innocence, a place where no self doubt exists. - Instructions, very clear. (speaking in foreign language) Remove all the chairs. You
will sit down on the ground. I'll ask you, how old are you?
You should be less than five. You say, four years,
three years, two years. State your name. - Medha. - [Namit] Medha. And
how old are you, Medha? - Two and a half. - Two and a half. Okay, how old are you? - Three years. - [Namit] And what's your name? - My name is Sonal. - There is going to be a time. I'm going to repeat,
and just listen to me. When you will think,
what is the point anyway? That's when your logical mind
is really de-motivating you. Continue, that's your breaking point. Then you'll discover so much. (models screaming) You're always spontaneous, very energetic, very enthusiastic, very curious. You're a joy, you're mischievous, you're imaginative,
you're lovable, likable. Just tell yourself, "This
is the way I intend to be. Deep down beneath, I'm going
to be a child full of life." - There are girls who I hated
all through the training. I don't want to say hated, I wasn't friendly with
all through the training. They're extra sweet to me now, and everybody wants to make friends. Like, I'll tell you later. - [Woman] No, tell me now. - Like Gauhar and Gerstamin, I've never had a conversation
with them before. And they're suddenly extra
sweet to me, they're like... You know, we can actually
hold a conversation. And today, Gerstamin was like, "Can you click a picture for me?" And I actually was
clicking pictures for her. She's like, "Thank you,
darling." And all that stuff. And all my friends, Sonal and everybody, they were like, "When did you become Gerstamin's darling?" I'm like, just chill, kind of a thing. (indistinct chatter) - [Narrator] After the bonding session, they discover they've got more
in common than they thought. And just for one night, camp
rules have been relaxed. Medha and the girls have been allowed out for a night on the town. For the first time in weeks,
the girls get a chance to let their hair down and end the pretense of
being the perfect package. - [Medha] There are girls
here who have their boyfriends coming and meeting them every evening. And they go like, "I've never
kissed a guy in my life. Yeah, yeah, I'm single. The only thing on my mind is modeling. My competition is the utmost
important thing in my life. There's no time in my life for men." I don't know why they
do it. It's very stupid. If you have a boyfriend, say it, it's not a crime to have a boyfriend. Or if you smoke, say it.
It's not a crime to do so. ♪ Get on the floor, you sexy dancer ♪ - [Narrator] Back at the
hotel, the party goes on. But Sonal's having a hard time explaining her night on
the town to her boyfriend. ♪ It must've been love ♪ - Stop it!
♪ But it's over now ♪ Yes, yes. ♪ It must have been love ♪ ♪ But you lost it somehow ♪ I'm very irritated, very pissed off. And I can kill anybody
right now, I swear to God. What are you saying? - I believe in a woman being a virgin. - [Model 3] You guys have
been talking about all this- - Exactly, we all have
different conceptions. - That's true. - See my boyfriend's not a virgin, I know that's he's openly come and told me that he made love to
his previous girlfriend. - I really believe if a man
loves me enough, he loves me. - [Model 4] He'll accept
you the way you are. - Exactly. He'll accept me the way I am. This does not mean that, okay, if I'm a virgin, I'm more acceptable. Bullshit, if I'm a
virgin who's a dumb ass, do you think he's gonna accept me? Bullshit. - No, I'm sorry. What if you wanna get into
a family who's conservative? Then what about that? And you love that man. Then what? - Come on, give me a break. Which man today comes across to a woman, and says, "Are you a virgin? Oh, I'm in love with you." - If you're talking about
a typically Indian man, you have to come in terms with reality. He will not accept you- - Yeah, the woman has to
be more docile. That's it. - When you're his girlfriend, he will love you the way you are. Whether you're a virgin or
not that's besides the point. When it comes to marriage, - Yes. - He will not accept a
thing from your past. If he hears anything about your past- - Yes, I agree with that. And
that's exactly what I said. - Your love goes. - But there's only one
question I have to ask. Are you telling me this,
that all men are virgins? If all men are not virgins, then why the hell should they
ask the women for virginity? I think that sucks. I'm sorry, that sucks. Look, it's like a give and take, right? You be a virgin, I'm a virgin, wow. But I'm sorry, In India, it used to happen a long, long time back, now it doesn't happen. Not all women-
- Shut the fuck up. - Sorry, shut up. Not all men are virgins in India. - Okay, shut up. (speaking in foreign language) Okay, shut up. Nice girl, shut up. - What, I'm serious! - Nice girl, shut up. - [Model 4] This is what I'm gonna say even on the nationals. - [Medha] Nice, girl shut up. Nice girl, shut up! - [Model 4] Okay. I'm
sorry I believe in this. - [Medha] There's no fucking
network in this room. (indistinct chatter) (bright upbeat music) (Sonal snoring) - [Narrator] While Medha
and the girls sleep in after the party, Neha is working out exactly
what she will have to do to win the crown. Neha is determined to follow
the camp regime to the letter. - As compared back to the other girls. My system has got no toxin setting, and there's no smoking, no drinking. So if they tell me to get up at six I'm up and ready at six. I have never complained even once. Eventually there are just
going to be three girls winning and we all have to come
and face the reality. We all know that, you know, this is life. It's not a fairy tale.
It's meant to be true. - [Narrator] So in the real
world of beauty queens, what does it take to win? (enchanting music) (bright upbeat music) Today is the last day of training. The transformation from pretty girl to potential beauty queen almost complete. - [Medha] 40 Days is a long
period, but it's just flown by. My friends, whom I've not spoken to, they're like, "Wow, your
English has improved. Your pronunciation, your diction
has improved so much more. - Over a period of time, you will see the change
coming out in these girls. The girls who were scared
to look at you in the eye can today stand and just stare you out. And you'd wonder, what are
they so confident about? But it's all really about
feeling good about yourself. - [Sonal] Some kind of
maturity has come my way. I'm more elegant, and learned, and stuff like that. - [Model 4] This title to me
is very, very, very important. And if anything goes wrong,
God forbid, I'll be shattered. - [Neha] I don't want anyone
to tell me that I'm beautiful. That's not why I'm here. What I'm looking at today
is to be an achiever. And by winning this competition,
I can call myself one. (bright upbeat music) - We've always had very beautiful women. Indian women have always been beautiful. There's never been a dearth of beauty, but they haven't had the grooming. And then they come to us as, say 40%, and I think 60% has been pumped into them. They change the way they
stand, the way they connect. Their hair is groomed,
their teeth, their skin, their confidence, their
speech, their clothes, their make up, their nails. I mean, everything. Plus the glow which they get from within. One thing I say, think beautiful. Let it emanate. Let it
just come out from you. And let that magic, that
star quality get across. - [Announcer 2] Your attention please. Indian Airlines announces that the- - [Narrator] The finals of Miss India will be held in Hyderabad. Together, the girls
have been through a lot. From this point on, they're
competing head to head. Medha wonders if newborn
friendships will survive. - [Medha] I guess all the niceness is gonna be there for some time. But as the contest comes
closer, it's all gonna go away. But I know that the five,
six of us are good friends, I don't think we'll
turn against each other. We'll be the ones holding hands and be like, "Hey, do well man." - [Narrator] Hyderabad is
a 400 year old Muslim city. According to legend, it was
founded when a Muslim prince plucked an unknown village
girl from obscurity, and made her his queen. Now, history is about to repeat itself. Though unlike Mumbai, this isn't a place where
women can run skimpily dressed in the streets. On the outskirts, final
preparations are underway for what promises to be a massive event. In the rehearsal, Neha is
directed to the front, alone. - [Man] Now, Neha starts
ramping from her position. We do that, correct. - Neha has been getting
a little more importance in the choreography than any of us. That is, in every round she walks solo. And either she starts
or finishes a sequence. And that obviously makes
an impact with the judges if you're gonna see a person separately. And when Neha is was
walking solo every round, you have girls who are walking in fours, and fives, and sevens. It's not fair to everybody. - [Narrator] Medha is not
the only one who's upset. Sonal's also feeling bitter. - I don't know. I feel a lot
of competition right now. I mean, what I used to feel like just the day before yesterday, everyone was so friendly
and things were going fine. And this contest has
a lot of things to it. It also depends on how
many contacts you have, and it's a broad part of the game. I'm telling you. But I know Neha, and everybody knows, Neha stands a good chance. She can win it. And if she
wins it, I won't be surprised. - All of us have
nicknamed her, ice vagina. Neha and Sonal... Um, what's her name? Neha
and Gauhar, ice vaginas. Fucking... What the fuck, man? Hello, just break the ice,
we've been together for 40 days. We're supposed to mingle. - [Narrator] But Neha isn't interested. She's completely focused
on the competition. - The fact that I feel that the stage is a very comfortable place
because I've been there before. And I know that my level
of comfort on the stage is going to be much more. My sense of performance is
going to be more (indistinct), and just this level of
comfort and awareness that makes me feel like I might
be able to achieve something Apart from that, it's going to be about
the questions and stuff, and I have no idea. There are lots of girls who prepared a lot of questions and answers and stuff, but you really can't tell. Even if you've prepared 1000 questions, and if you get 1001? Question number 1001, who knows? - [MC] Okay, Miss India. (audience applauds) - [Narrator] So often, the
question and answer sessions turn out to be the make or
break of the competition. - Who do you consider to be
the most successful woman living in the world today and why? - Well, good evening,
ladies and gentlemen. There are a lot of people
who I admire and believe in, but I think one of the
most successful women who has achieved a lot, not just for herself or other countries, I think would be Mother Teresa. (audience applauds) - [Narrator] The contestants
get one last rehearsal at handling an awkward question. - [Lubna] Medha, if you
discover that the man you love is a criminal, what would you do and why? - Good evening, ma'am. If I discover that the
man I love is a criminal, I don't think it would make any difference to the amount I would love him, because... - [Model 5] Love is blind. - [Medha] Yeah. - [Model 6] No. - You know all you girls are fools, you've discovered the man is a criminal. For all you know he's
raping 20 other women or he's murdering people down the road. (models laugh) - [Narrator] Now it's Sonal's turn to deal with a difficult question. - Good evening, Mrs. Lubna. I totally agree with the
concept of a single parenthood, because after all our parents are the ones who have brought us up, and that's why we achieve success, and... - Sonal, did you understand the question? Single parenthood. It means being brought up with one parent. - [Sonal] I know, okay. - [Lubna] Sonal, I'll wait forever, but I want an answer now. - It's a tough job. It's tough. - [Woman] The judges? - Above all, physical fine, mental stress is so much. - One damn contest, and
so many tensions, no! - [Model 7] Okay baby, just
finish your phone call. Do you have to (indistinct). (speaking in foreign language) - If I don't make it, I'm lost. I mean, what have I been
modeling for the past five years if I don't make it here? I have to prove myself. And I actually was talking
to Thun, before I left. And I said, "I'm gonna quit
modeling if I don't win." And Thun was like, "You
will not do any such thing. I love to see you on ramp. And if you're gonna quit ramp, and if you're gonna quit modeling, Medha, you're going to hurt me." And he was trying to knock
some sense into my head. - I'm not nervous, but I will be shattered
if I don't make it. Yeah, it's a bad thought. And I have a lot of people
expecting this out of me, and not being able to live up
to other people's expectations or your own, then you're, in one simple
word, called a loser. And that's something I never
want to be, never ever. (bright upbeat music) ♪ I love myself. ♪ - [Narrator] Behind closed doors, the most controversial part of
the competition takes place. Before the public televised event, the girls parade in swimwear. They must show off their physical assets, but only the privileged
few will get to see them. Neha's first to face the judges' scrutiny. - [Judge] You'll just take
the hair behind, yeah. - [Narrator] Judges from
the world of fashion, cosmetics, and the media, assess their bodies, their
hair, smiles, poise, confidence, and ask the dreaded questions. - [Judge] Do you like being here? Did you like the training session? - Yes of course, I really loved it. We just got to learn so much here. It was 45 days of
correction, it was great. - Sonal's next on the rack. - [Announcer 3] Sonal, judges, is ambitious and very determined. And is turned on by guys with
good looks and great bodies. - Wow. ♪ I love myself ♪ ♪ I love you ♪ (judges laugh) - [Judge 2] Great. - [Judge] So good. - [Announcer 3] Medha is a people's person and loves to party. She's a non-conformist and has the ability to talk her way out of
any sticky situation. Something you don't like to see. - [Judge 3] You have
really chilled out, uh? - Sorry? - [Judge 3] You've really chilled out. - Yeah, I'm just taking it as it comes. No point getting worked up. I believe in destiny. If it's supposed to happen it will. - Okay, did anybody answer this question of, what would you do if
you become a miss world or miss universe? - [Narrator] In the toilets, the first of many post-mortems unfolds. Medha is sure she got through okay. - I said, whatever happens, India should stick to its peaceful ways of getting the message across. Because if we're going to go to war, we're gonna be no different from Pakistan. And war is not an answer to anything, it just leads to more
killing and more bloodshed. - Sonal surprised herself. - Unlike me. To talk so much, I mean, I was not only
answering the questions I was actually conversing. I had a blast. (indistinct) This is something I've
waited for for very long. Five years is a long time,
it's almost a lifetime. - [Narrator] But in just 24
hours, the waiting will be over. (enchanting music) The day of the Miss India finals dawns. In the next few hours, this
arena will be the focus of one of the world's
biggest television events. Medha is as ready as she'll ever be. - I'm feeling very, very relaxed and calm. And it's very funny, you know what I mean? About 10 days ago, I had this
very funny, mixed feeling that, you know, if I don't
get it, what am I gonna do? Or I have to make it, and
all those kinds of things. Now I've just gotten to
the stage of acceptance where I believe that if
things have to happen to me, they are going to. If it's not destined to be,
it's not going to happen. - [Narrator] Now the final touches; Pinching out facial hair,
the first layers of makeup. But Sonal is still anxious
about how she'll come across. - I'm just a bit too scared. I mean, scared as in, it's not fear. It's some kind of a feeling that I get, that will I be able to
answer the question? Will I frame it properly, you know? Because I know what I
want to say is all here. (bright upbeat music) - [Narrator] For Neha,
competing comes naturally. - I'm really not nervous because being nervous is just
going to ruin everything. It's not gonna make anything better. What I need right now is my peace of mind. What I need right now
is to stay in control. And just the way I'm talking to you, it's gonna be the same
kind of conversation. And you're not making me nervous, I'm sure they're not gonna
be making me nervous either. I'll make sure I make them nervous. - There are girls who are
sitting and crying right now, because they're nervous. They're just sitting
and staring into space, and you'll find tears just
rolling down their cheeks. And I'm very surprised. Hey, come on. After all, at the end of the
day it's another competition. - [Narrator] Feminina boss, Sathya Saran, has seen it all before. - We've had years where
favorites have fallen. In round two, somebody gets out, and we're looking in horror
to say, what happened? Why did she go out?
And we have no answers. It's because of whatever. It's the insecurity in the girl, which finally she succumbs to. Maybe she's not well on that
day, pressure gets to her. There are some lovely
girls who don't show fire, and therefore lose out. And there's someone who you've
never looked at seriously, who comes and blazes on the ramp. You know, who gives the
judges back, you know, as good as she gets from them. She literally, you know,
volleys back questions with such a plum that you cannot but say, "Hey, here's a winner." (bright upbeat music) - [Narrator] Television cameras, relay the scene to a billion viewers. In the next few hours,
Miss India will be chosen. - Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. And it is truly great to
be back after a whole year with some more excitement and enchantment in the form of Fa Femina Miss India. (enchanting music) - [Narrator] Judges from India
and the world's fashion elite will pick out the weakest challenges and eliminate them in successive rounds. But first, all 26 contestants are allowed their moment of glory with
a personal introduction. - Contestant number six, Sonal. (audience clapping) Well, Sonal is friendly and witty, and found very early success in modeling and has also acted in
several music videos. So let's hear it for
contestant number six, Sonal! (audience applauds)
(bright upbeat music) Contestant number seven, Medha. (audience applauds) She is a model and a television hostess, and she's a non-conformist and has the ability to walk
out of any sticky situation. Congestion number 23, Neha! (audience clapping) Having made a success of modeling and music video features, she's also starred in
an Hindu Japanese movie. (audience clapping) - [Narrator] The judging
is swift and brutal. The results are in for the 13
survivors of the first round. - So ladies and gentlemen, get set to know the 13
selected contestants as they sashay down the
ramp for the first time. Contestant number three, Tina! (audience clapping) Contestant number six, Sonal. Contestant number 12, Zainab. Contestant number seven, Medha. (audience clapping) Contestant number 23, Neha. (audience clapping) - Ladies and gentlemen, our 13 finalists. Aren't they looking stunning and lovely? - [Announcer 4] Yes, absolutely. - [Announcer 5] And what confidence- (indistinct) - [Narrator] Backstage, panic
reigns over costume changes. - [Woman 2] Medha, you're first out. (bright upbeat music) - [Narrator] Out in front
of the lights again, Medha and Sonal are selected
to open the next round. Now the 13, will be cut down to nine. - Ladies and gentlemen, please fasten your
seatbelt because right now the first contestant who is
gonna make it to the next round is contestant number three, Tina. (audience clapping) Contestant number 12, Zainab. (audience clapping) Contestant number 18, Ankita. (audience clapping) Contestant number 25, Reshmi. (audience clapping) And finally, ladies and gentlemen, Contestant number 23, Neha. (audience clapping) - [Narrator] Neha has
sailed through the round, but Sonal and Medha are out. (melancholic music) Medha's nowhere to be found. Sonal feels cheated. - I think I deserve to be there. I think I deserved it. In my own eyes, I'm
there in the first line. - This is not fair. I mean, I deserved it. I had to be there. This is a matter of life and death. - Okay, moving on, we
have the very lovely Neha, contestant number 23. Well Neha, we don't have
to many models left- - [Narrator] They are
down to the last nine. Now everything hinges on the
question and answer session. - What do you think is
the biggest misconception people abroad make about India. And how would you go about working to change that misconception? - Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. According to me, the biggest misconception that people abroad face is the problem that we are an overpopulated country. That is true to an extent, but we also have to realize
the number of people, those many number of minds, and the number of minds, that much amount of progression
in our country, thank you. (audience clapping) - Bullshit. - [Narrator] Backstage,
the losers are unimpressed. - After this, I'm gonna drink my ass out. Literally, in the literal sense. - [Narrator] Neha has made
it through to the last round. Now the judges are about to
announce their final decision. - Ladies and gentlemen,
the moment has arrived. Hold your breath; The name that will carry the tag of Femina Miss India, 2002, Universe is... - Contestant number 23. Neha, from Delhi! (bright upbeat music) (audience applauds) - [Narrator] Neha will be whisked off to represent the flower
of India's womanhood, across the world. With the crown, come
international modeling contracts and Bollywood producers
beating a path to her door. - I'm feeling ecstatic, I do
not know what's happening. Don't ask me this question right now. I'm just feeling ecstatic. I'm feeling on top of the world right now. (fireworks cracking) - [Narrator] Medha is inconsolable. Sonal is much more pragmatic. - It has not affected me even a bit. If you win, you win.
If you lose, you lose. It's not always a big
deal. Life goes on for me. Next year there'll be another Miss India, next year there'll be
another Miss India, you know? Now, who remembers four years
back, Miss India? You don't. People are always looking
forward to see another girl. - [Narrator] The beauty machine
has found its new queen, but already, the search to
find her successor has begun. ♪ I aint much at cooking and sowing ♪ ♪ But my man is crazy for me ♪ ♪ I spend his money like
there's no tomorrow ♪ ♪ I'm a reckless girl, I agree ♪ (bright upbeat music)
