Two male models, Mandeep and Ishaan, narrate a story of struggle, parental opposition as their diverse dreams meet despite the blinding lights of the catwalk.

By Asmita Aggarwal

Mandeep Singh Choudhary comes from a conservative Haryana family where boys are not encouraged to become a model, rather they work on the farm or pursue a professional course. When he decided to walk the ramp, his parents fully disapproved and now after two years of struggle have finally come around. “My friends used to tell me I have a good physique, face and height and that I should try my luck in modelling, but I was finishing my graduation, and have now enrolled for my MBA. Education is everything for the middle class, so I wanted to equip myself,” he says.

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Interestingly, Mandeep is also refreshingly honest and will tell you that despite enrolling with good agencies, many models suffer due to internal favouritism and often don’t get great work despite being the best. So he started theatre as a way to understand the nuances of acting which is his final goal.  Till now Mandeep has done 10-12 plays at the National School of Drama and he admits that it has instilled discipline and has taught him time management. “You have a call time, no matter how small or big your role you, you reach with the rest and rehearse together. It also builds a bond, unlike modelling which is a bit impersonal. My guru Shantanu Bose is fantastic and is someone I look up to in the world of acting,” he adds.

 

Theatre is also a medium where he has to give a 100 per cent like the recent play he did based on Girish Karnad’s Rakta Kalyan, where he may have had a tiny part (he played God), but he had to be on stage for the entire span, one-and-a-half hours. “Live performances make you nervous as you have to be thorough with the script and there are no retakes. Sometimes we start rehearsing four months in advance to perfect our craft,” he adds.

 

Bollywood remains his dream, and what Mandeep really wants to do is do alternate theatre and films like Aligarh, Talwar and Masaan. “Reality-based cinema is what motivates me and I want to do work which has substance,” he concludes.

 

What is amazing about the fashion world is that it unites people from different genres and backgrounds, if Mandeep is clear about his goal, Ishaan Singh another aspirant is completing his engineering from his hometown Jabalpur. He frequents Delhi for work and goes back home only to give his exams. In 2014 he got his portfolio made and did his first show soon after. “What you really need is confidence and to feel you are really the best and don’t give up even if you multiple face rejections,” he says.

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Computer science and the catwalk may be too far apart, and Ishaan understands this that why he confesses that modelling is his profession and not career goal. “Till I am here I will do my best and once I feel the limelight is fading, I will retreat to pursue Plan B,” he concludes.