Supermodel image has faded over the years, say models

New Delhi, Nov 23 (IANS) There was time when people would swoon over ramp models, but over the years the magic seems to have faded. Industry insiders agree that the image of supermodels has diminished due to overexposure.

'I agree the image has somewhere faded away, and partially because there are so many new faces that look great all the time now. There are so many institutes that focus on grooming, bringing the X factor in the limelight and giving a platform to showcase it,' Yana Gupta, model-turned-actress, told IANS.

'Models like Milind Soman, Madhu Sapre, Dino Morea, Aishwarya Rai, John Abraham Sushmita Sen made it big and had a longer shelf life in the industry contrary to existing models,' Yana added.

Echoing the same sentiments, new generation model Sahil Salathia, who is a contestant on MTV's lifestyle show, 'Eristoff MTV MF101', said: 'The (supermodel) concept is no more alive. Ten years down the lane, the whole era of Madhu Sapre, Milind Soman has vanished. The craze and excitement at that time for models was exceptional, just comparable to that for actors and actresses.

'But now they have become so approachable that their value has seen a visible downslide,' Salathia added.

Milind Soman himself claims that in his time they had monopoly on the business.

'I think models were big and were much better 'in my days' - we had a monopoly on the business. Which now has become a regular and not so hyped profession. People used to get crazy after models just like for actors in the industry,' Milind Soman told IANS.

'These days the profession has become so approachble that any individual who looks decent and has a good built can get a portfolio clicked and make it big in the industry. But the fact is that this approach has made it common, earlier it was not so much over exposed and this is one of the reasons which puts it down,' said Yana Gupta, who proved her dancing mettle in the industry with item song 'Bijli Giri'.

Milind maintains the scope for male models has widened with increasing number of fashion weeks.

'More work, more designers, more clothes, more buyers today than ever before, so the whole business is booming, and menswear and male models will not get left behind,' Milind added.

'Fashion weeks are not a big high for a male model because they can't rely on such fashion weeks for their survival. If male models want to grow, they need to do something substantial to support their families. For women it is an extra add on, but for men it is the total sum that they earn if they are totally dependent on such fashion weeks,' Salathia added.

Yana observed that models these days lack a hold on the audiences.

'The hold of models earlier used to be irresistible, their personality had such a strong impact which even till date is alive even if they don't do much work now; but their place is still the same. When you think of Milind Soman or John Abraham they are in a different league, they have some kind off different energy in them,' said Yana.

'It is difficult to find a person like that, it is not only about looking great - but one needs to have certain kind of strength in their personality. So may be... may be those people are not there anymore,' she added.

(Manpreet Kaur can be contacted at [email protected])