From the land of fire, Bahar is more Indian than Azerbaijani!
By Asmita Aggarwal
The first time you hear the name Bahar you would think she is probably a South Delhi girl who likes fashion and is probably an admirer of all things luxe. But when you see Bahar you will be pleasantly surprised to notice a leggy Russian girl, who was born in Turkmenistan, but grew up in Azerbaijan.
But what made our interaction even more special is Bahars refreshing honesty as she tells you that she would have loved to study, but could not as she didnt come from a wealthy family; university education can be very expensive back home. I started modelling six years ago, but there isnt any scope in my hometown with only two modelling agencies, so I began travelling and arrived in India, August, this year she says.
Growing up in Azerbaijan, with the blue Caspian Sea, she was introduced to the glittering world of Bollywood films by her moms sister, who was an avid fan of Shah Rukh Khan and Amitabh Bachchan. We used to love the dancing and singing and thats why when I hear Kala Chasma (in Bar Bar Dekho) with Katrina Kaif I can fully relate to it, she laughs.
With two younger brothers back home, aged 16 and four years, Bahar was always teased about being too skinny and very tall. As a result she developed a complex about her body which only became better after she started modelling. I became comfortable with the way I looked after a few stints on the catwalk, she adds.
An ardent admirer of Rohit Bal, Bahar likes the grandeur that is the designers signature and how seamlessly he can mix Western interpretations into Indian motifs. I saw the show that he had at the Quli Khans tomb with the Qutab Minar as a backdrop and it was truly the best I have ever seen as he paid a tribute to Kashmir with the most stunning lehengas and a simplicity of hues. Maybe one day I will be part of his choice of models, she concludes.
