Mumbai : The Yamaha Fascino Miss Diva Universe 2014 pageant gets more spectacular, more glamorous and a lot more competitive as it turns over a new leaf as a TV series.
The pageant will now be held as a docu-series to be aired on Zee Cafe, and this year, it will have nine nail-biting episodes, which will see 15 finalists give it their all. Each episode will see the girls prove their mettle on tasks set by celebrity judges, who will test them on different attributes. Full of twists and turns, surprise tasks and innovative challenges, every episode will end in elimination, with three divas being crowned in the finale.
The pageant is no longer about beauty alone. It’s about a diva who has all the attributes to make her a complete winner. Once crowned, she will represent India at the Miss Universe pageant. The exciting new format also features a mentor, aptly christened ‘D’.
Taking over the onus of guiding them and ensuring India makes a mark on the global platform is the charismatic Lara Dutta, who experienced the same journey before she was crowned Miss Universe 2000. Lara says, “When Priyanka Chopra, Dia Mirza and I won titles in 2000, India was the pioneer in how a pageant should be conducted. With this new format, we want to replicate that international success. Having been a Miss Universe, I know that life and I’m excited to share it with the girls. The TV series gives the audience a chance to get to know the girls. The eliminations are heart-breaking, but we have to find a winner.”
Talking about the role of ‘D’, she says, “Any girl who has wanted to win a pageant has always looked up to past winners. Through all this, ‘D’ is going to be a mentor, friend, sister and someone who will find out if they have the requisite qualities to represent India internationally. The goal is to help them realise their strengths and to make this a platform where we encourage more talent to participate. If we are able to produce an international winner, it will be the icing on the cake.”
