The law of attraction  between two careers

Balancing two entirely different careers is not a difficult task at all, says Swetha Sridhar.

CHENNAI: Balancing two entirely different careers is not a difficult task at all, says Swetha Sridhar. The Chennai girl is not only the face of brands like Nalli, Pothys, NAC Jewellers etc, but is also a full-time lawyer specialising in civil litigation. The young model was recently honoured with a Pothys Young Achievers award.

Swetha always loved being photographed, and when Viba Miss Chennai came to her college, she decided to take it as a challenge and began grooming herself. “We took classes on table manners, how to put makeup, walk on heels — and so many other things. This experience gave me the opportunity to represent India in World Miss University, in South Korea,” she says, remembering how that experience opened her eyes to similarities in culture between South Korea and India.

She won the title too, and her modelling career then boomed. She recalls living out of a suitcase for almost four years after that, managing law school and college sports (400 m and 100 m athletics) on the side. “I just had enough time to study, work, eat and sleep,” she laughs.

Her first ad was for a leading jewellery brand in Kerala, and she remembers that the shoot went on for about 18 hours continuously. “I realised that modelling is not easy. People assume a 30-second ad is shot in a jiffy but so much hard work goes into it. Imagine, you have to look fresh and bright no matter how long the shoot goes,” she points out.

She started practising law a year ago, after two years of full-time modelling. Being a civil litigation lawyer, she needs to attend court every day, and modelling is a niche for her now. “Now, I choose brands I associate with more carefully,” she says, working with A-list photographers and brands like Co-optex, Aval Vikatan, and was the brand ambassador of the Chennai’s team of Premier Badminton League for the past two years.

In Chennai, many people think twice before taking modelling as a career, because there are no dedicated agencies in the city, she says. “Other cities, like Mumbai, have dedicated agencies which assure a regular work and shoots,” she opines, but also notes that this has guided Chennai-based models to create alternative careers too.

Is acting in films a future option? “I don’t think so. I’m a lawyer, and I find it very challenging and mentally-stimulating. At the end of the day, when my client smiles, I feel all the hard work is worth it,” she smiles.

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