CHENNAI: It was a rainy Saturday morning. More than a 100 women accompanied by their encouraging partners and kids had gathered at Radisson Blu for the initial auditions of the 18th edition of Mrs Chennai 2018 beauty pageant. It is open to married women aged 21 and above up to 40. “Mrs Chennai 2018 strives to celebrate the personality, intelligence and talent of women. I wanted to do something for the women at my fitness centre and beauty parlour. This was started on a small scale between 1995-1999.
After the tremendous response and support from sponsors, I founded Mrs Chennai and wanted to organise it on a bigger level in 2000. Back then, there were not many opportunities for women. Our first show was at Kamaraj Arangam. Surprisingly, several women lined up for the auditions. Winning a title was another feather in the cap for women from all walks of life,” said Poornima Kumar, founder of Mrs Chennai and consultant at Adgear Media that flagged off the six-week long contest.
Around 25 contestants are expected to be selected by the panel comprising Lalitha Balakrishnan principal, MOP Vaishnav College; actress and model, Sherin Sam and actor, choreographer and former Chennai Man, Vijay Victor. They will be selected based on their presentation, ramp walk and talent. Meanwhile, it was exciting to watch the husbands recording the performances and kids cheering for their mothers as they walked the ramp in their best outfits.
“From celebrity women to executives, we had a mixed crowd. Table setting and self-makeover are some of the interesting rounds. This platform has transformed the personality and lives of several women after rigorous grooming sessions. We spotted interesting talents performing magic, comedy and Karate,” said Poornima, who wants to complete 25 years of Mrs Chennai. During the training sessions, the final contestants will be tested on all fronts ranging from fitness to general knowledge aptitude to ensure that the winner of the crown of Mrs Chennai is a multi-faceted personality and a deserving holder of the title. The event will draw a host of celebrities and industry experts.Look out for all the details on Mrs Chennai’s social media handles and website.