Mrs. India!!! After Aditi Govitrikar's success as Mrs World, model-maker Maureen Wadia's all set to scale down the concept into a national event, appropriately titled Mrs India. If, like Wadia says, you've been the subject of all kinds of attention, you know you've got it. And so what if you're married? The requirements? "All you need is poise, personality, attractiveness and to be a good homemaker." And of course, the ability to have pithy platitudes roll off your tongue. Like Aditi told the media: "Mrs India gives you that once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to celebrate your independence, with your husband watching you win. Gladrags gives you that one chance, so just do it"! The last date to send in your pictures to Gladrags, ladies, is August 1. Our only question here, though, in this beauty-mad market, is what happened to model Achla Sachdev, who'd gone to town talking about launching a similar event a few months ago? Well, at least Maureen's got the grooming experience.

Femina Chrysalis 2001 Femina Chrysalis 2001, the annual fashion show of the students of the Premlila Vithaldas Polytechnic, Mumbai, saw some snazzy, futuristic designs come out from the creative minds of the 20-something girl students. The event was held at The Ball Room of the Leela Kempinski, Mumbai. Amongst the illustrious judges were Shobha De, Monisha Jaisingh, Madhu Sapre, Pierre Emmanuel Jacob and Anita Dongre . Top notch models, who displayed the designs, were Diya Abraham, Fleur Xavier , Nethra Raghuraman, Nina Manuel , Rajlaxmi, Sampada Inamdar, Tupur and Tapur Chatterjee and Vidisha Pavate. The themes in which the designs were entwined were: A Silent Vibration, Urban Overdrive, Exotic Expression, Disclosure, The Inner Psyche, Seashore Evenings, Resurrection, The Future Unfolded, The Endangered, Regal Mystique, Aqua Arabesque, Radical Reveille and Superfishial.

Steven shines at Bollywood Fashion Awards in NY At last weeks Bollywood Fashion Awards in New York, actor Steven Seagal unveiled his Tibet-inspired line of clothes, created with the help of Bollywood designer Neeta Lulla. Having always tried to create a unique presence with his clothes in his movies, Seagal told journalists he's often been asked where the Indian/Tibetan jackets and wrist malas are available. Which naturally culminated in a line of clothes he thinks the market is ready for. The clothes will be available at select stores in the United States, before they are made available in India.

Baby Boom in Modeling world Choreographer Lubna Adams and husband Ex-Super model Deepak Malhotra (dino to friends) have a new addition to their family -- a bouncing baby boy! May 15 apparently was D-Day and Malhotra junior is called Kian. Our best to the proud parents, and whilst on the topic, seems the modeling fraternity is on a baby boom now. Seems marriage and babies are always in fashion -- Mrs.World Aditi Gowitrikar already has little Kiara, followed by coordinator Vahbiz Vaccha's little Farhan . Model Sabah Khalilli, now in Delhi, has a baby girl, though settled in Australia. Model and designer Lascelles Symmons and wife Pallavi also had a baby girl earlier this year--what can we say? Can't wait to see Generation Next strutting their stuff!

Amrita Arora: Jumping to the big screen The Hot Hot model-VJ at last has been promoted to the big screen. Amrita will soon be seen running around trees in A.G. Nadiawala's Awara Pagal Deewana, where she plays main lead. The film will be directed by Vikram Bhatt. That's not all. She has bagged another film offer in her kitty. In this one she'll be shaking a leg or two with sister's devar Sallu bhai, interesting concept, ainnit? It'll be quite an experience working with the Chaalbaaz director Pankaj Parasher for the latter film, right Amrita? You seem to have got quite an amount of good deals here.

Jayesh Sheth takes best shots of Hrithik It isn't often that superstars are awestruck by their own photographs. But this time was an exception. Photographer Jayesh, who had earlier done a photo-session with Hrithik for Filmfare wanted to put up a blow up of the same in his studio. The photograph displayed Hrithik walking out of the sea, splashing water as he did so. However, Jayesh decided to do it in style. On the ceiling with appropriate lighting in the background. So that whenever somebody entered the studio, the first thing that struck them would be the magnificent photograph. Of course, the first person he wanted to show this set up to was Hrithik himself. So while setting up the elaborate structure , he rang up Hrithik, who was supposed to come down for another shoot, and insisted that the latter give him a tinkle before stepping into the studio - so that he would have the lights on for full effect. But the KNPH star, who just loves 'surprising' everybody, preferred to make a quiet appearance. Luckily for Jayesh, it just so happened that he had already kept the lights on. The effect was just unimaginable. Hrithik was so struck by the set up that he was speechless for a full ten minutes. He actually lay down on the floor to get a better look, not to mention looking at it from different angles. After that he insisted that he wanted to write a few words on the photograph. So Jayesh brought in a ladder and Roshan climbed up and wrote, "Walking toward my Big Splash (KNPH)! You were there! Thanx for the best shots of my Life! Always be there. Love, Hrithik." A few days later, another of Jayesh's favourites, gorgeous actress Rekha came down to his studio, and she couldn't help commenting mischievously, "Well, Hrithik already had all the girls in the country lining up for him. Now he'll have all of them lying down (for a better look) for him." Like they say, a picture paints a thousand words. Must say, this is one 'picture perfect' story!

Beauty queen is now building brands When it isn't curiosity that drives former Miss India Rani Jeyraj, it's her love of trying out new things. From modelling and film making to IT and brand building - name it and she's done it. But where has she been for the past three years? "I was in Mumbai for three years and I modelled for half that time. I did a lot of travelling in India with friends. And then I started feeling like I needed to work," says Rani. But she wasn't really sure about where she wanted to be. Media was a dominant choice. "I was interested in what happens behind the scenes. I was looking at TV stations, ad agencies and then a friend told me that Prahlad Kakkar was doing a food and travel show and needed a research assistant," she adds. As luck would have it, a little after this a friend who produces Movers and Shakers asked Rani to come on the show. "I went and the other guest was Prahlad. Poor Shekhar Suman had to shut up and Prahlad literally hired me on national TV," she laughs. Rani quit after being involved in production for almost a year-and-a-half. "I felt I had to move on and do something new. And then I made a mistake. I went to Madras to work with a company that does IT training. I was really unhappy. I wanted to go to film school at that time and I used the time there to write my applications." She got into film school in London and completed one year of her two-year course. "And then I ran out of money," she says. So right now, Rani is in Bangalore. As brand manager for Big Leap since the past three months, she's enjoying her job. "I do their marketing. It's an interesting and fun job. Not often does one get a chance to build a brand, market it and sell it," Rani says. Since she's been in Bangalore, Rani has been exercising, working, watching movies, hanging out with friends and just enjoying the spirit of Bangalore. "I stay with my friends Archana and Swati and it's quite a mad household," she laughs, adding, "I have been partying quite a lot and catching up with old friends. Bangalore hasn't really changed. The spirit always stays the same." Though she works hard, Rani realises that life has been good to her. "I never wanted to be a model and it happened. I wanted to work with Prahlad and I got to. At some point I need to take control," she laughs. When she stopped modelling, Rani did initially feel that it was giving up. But eventually she realised it was a step to what lay beyond. In fact, she hasn't walked the ramp for the last three years. "When I was a model, I got stuck in this isolated world, associating with people who do the same thing as you. When you're there you wonder how people can do a 9 to 5 job, get paid a pittance and use their brains. Modelling is a life of luxury with so many perks. I haven't modelled for three years and I haven't wanted to. But I miss the money," she laughs. Rani has just got her books out of storage and has been re-reading them. "I have re-read The English Patient often. I hate the movie. The book is about language, words and how he uses them," says Rani. Future plans include making a movie. "Making a film is a life experience. It's like composing a symphony."

Diana Hayden bags roles in two foreign films Former miss world Diana Hayden has bagged roles in two films - Johnny Bollywood, a British-Asian venture, and a South African version of Othello. 27-year old Diana, who won the Miss World beauty contest in 1997, has settled in London. In between promoting beauty products, she has just finished a year at Drama School in London, learning the rigours of Chekhov and Shakespeare.

Bikram Saluja: Blow the candle, make a wish! The taurian just turned a year older recently. When we caught up with the SuperModel on his birthday plans, he was busy rehearsing. "So what are the celebrations gonna be like?" we ask. "Well, nothing much," replies the birthday boy. Daddy dearest was to be in town that evening, so dinner with Pops was the way it went. And talking about birthday wishes and resolutions, "I just want people to appreciate my work in Roshni that's all I hope." Well, Bikki boy, we sure hope that your wishes come true. They say what you do on your birthday lasts till the next, and there sure seems to have been a lot of hard work put in on your special day. Way to Go! We wish you the very best.