The title of Miss India is touted to be synonymous with self-confidence but former Miss India and actor Sobhita Dhulipala says the process of winning the crown ended up damaging her self-esteem. The 25-year-old actor said while growing up in Vishakapatnam she was an “uncool geek child, a loner” who had not watched more than 20 films, eight of which were from the Harry Potter magic verse.
Sobhita moved to Mumbai at 16 to step out of her “quaint little city”. When she got admission in a 'cool' college here, she appeared with “long oiled hair, floral embroidery dress, bindi and polka dot shirt.”
The actor, who made her debut with 'Raman Raghav 2.0', termed her college experience as “brutal” and that was when the need for “seeking validation” seeped in. “My friend was interning at the Miss India office and asked me to go for an audition. I just wanted to clear one basic round to show it to my friends. 'I'm in this mind space and I can do this, losers'. I cleared the first round and then I wanted to do more. For the first time in my life, I was getting attention. I was very awkward with myself, I was so lame... But Miss India did more damage to my self-esteem. It took me more away from me because you're reduced to someone who's entertaining and pleasing,’’ Sobhita said.
After winning the beauty pageant in 2013, the model- turned-actor represented India for Miss Earth the same year in the Philippines where she won the subtitles of Miss Photogenic, Miss Beauty for a cause, Miss Talent and Miss Beautiful face. She said she struggled to find her real self as the lure of the Miss India tag kept confusing her. “I would never focus on how I looked. So my focus was on being well-read, good in studies. My personality depended on what I read, not on a magical genetic thing. I hadn't felt good in my heart.”
Asked why she continued being a part of something that made her uncomfortable, the actor said, “I wanted someone to make me feel desired. I was 19, so validation played a huge role in my taking part in Miss India. Miss India actually made me feel small. It made me feel like it doesn't matter what you feel or think, what sells is beauty and sex, which you've no control over. You're born a certain way,” Sobhita said.