Events & Personalities
19th May Queen contest
"I am immensely proud to have been crowned May Queen 2012. It has helped me reinforce my self-confidence, poise, ability to take the lead, benevolence and compassion,” stated Avvan Sethna, currently a student of Jai Hind College and also part of the organizing committee for the Holiday Programme for Youth. "I believed in chasing my dream and achieving it,” the winner averred.
Now in its 19th year the May Queen contest held at Rustom Baug on April 30, 2012 attracted participation from 17 young lovelies. The panel of judges comprised singer Gary Lawyer, Jam-e-Jamshed editor Shernaaz Engineer, textile designer Ashdeen Lilaowala, Elle India’s editor-in-chief Nonita Kalra, blogger Malini Agarwal (better known as Miss Malini) and Bombay Parsi Punchayet (BPP) trustee Jimmy Mistry. Maureen Wadia was guest of honor.
Burjis Taraporevala, compere for the evening, assisted by Zeenia Wadia introduced the participants who walked the ramp. Anosh Munshi, joint vice president of Sir Ness Wadia Memorial Pavilion, thanked all those who had worked toward the success of the event. Style at Work, the first Parsi B-boying group performed some breathtaking moves, followed by a group of sizzling mommies who graced the ramp, choreographed by Pearl Tirandaz with make-up by Rayomand Sarkari proving that beauty does not end with motherhood.
The question and answer round elicited some honest, some diplomatic and some well thought out answers. As the contenders headed backstage Alysha Khodaiji introduced the Bollywood Dhamaal sequence which saw energetic dance moves by Pashyn Sethna, Zeenia Tafti and Wadia. The finalists then returned to face the judges and the audience for the last round during which Lawyer was coaxed to croon some memorable Elvis Presley numbers.
Then the names of the winners of the sub contests were announced. Fionika Nava was declared both Miss Body Beautiful and Miss Photogenic; Azmin Irani was Miss Vivacious; Urvazi Kotwal had the Best Smile; Avvan Sethna won the Best Hair and also Miss Talented titles; Mehernaz Panthaki won for Best Skin. The suspense rose as the final results came. Pashmina Dadabhoy was second runner-up, Nava first runner-up and Sethna adjudged May Queen.
Nava, the youngest of the participants who has appeared for her HSC examinations this year, told Parsiana that the "May Queen could just be a platform to make new friends, have fun, learn different things and enjoy Della (Adventure)! Why can’t it be a stage where you would want to see yourself win? I want to confess that I... wanted to achieve something... and with encouragement and optimism from my parents, family and friends, I did.” Dadabhoy, who teaches at St Catherine’s Orphanage confessed, "I entered the pageant with no expectations, and returned with a title... For me, being a second runner-up is not enough... It’s not the last you’ve seen of this optimistic diva!”
Now in its 19th year the May Queen contest held at Rustom Baug on April 30, 2012 attracted participation from 17 young lovelies. The panel of judges comprised singer Gary Lawyer, Jam-e-Jamshed editor Shernaaz Engineer, textile designer Ashdeen Lilaowala, Elle India’s editor-in-chief Nonita Kalra, blogger Malini Agarwal (better known as Miss Malini) and Bombay Parsi Punchayet (BPP) trustee Jimmy Mistry. Maureen Wadia was guest of honor.
Burjis Taraporevala, compere for the evening, assisted by Zeenia Wadia introduced the participants who walked the ramp. Anosh Munshi, joint vice president of Sir Ness Wadia Memorial Pavilion, thanked all those who had worked toward the success of the event. Style at Work, the first Parsi B-boying group performed some breathtaking moves, followed by a group of sizzling mommies who graced the ramp, choreographed by Pearl Tirandaz with make-up by Rayomand Sarkari proving that beauty does not end with motherhood.
The question and answer round elicited some honest, some diplomatic and some well thought out answers. As the contenders headed backstage Alysha Khodaiji introduced the Bollywood Dhamaal sequence which saw energetic dance moves by Pashyn Sethna, Zeenia Tafti and Wadia. The finalists then returned to face the judges and the audience for the last round during which Lawyer was coaxed to croon some memorable Elvis Presley numbers.
Then the names of the winners of the sub contests were announced. Fionika Nava was declared both Miss Body Beautiful and Miss Photogenic; Azmin Irani was Miss Vivacious; Urvazi Kotwal had the Best Smile; Avvan Sethna won the Best Hair and also Miss Talented titles; Mehernaz Panthaki won for Best Skin. The suspense rose as the final results came. Pashmina Dadabhoy was second runner-up, Nava first runner-up and Sethna adjudged May Queen.
Nava, the youngest of the participants who has appeared for her HSC examinations this year, told Parsiana that the "May Queen could just be a platform to make new friends, have fun, learn different things and enjoy Della (Adventure)! Why can’t it be a stage where you would want to see yourself win? I want to confess that I... wanted to achieve something... and with encouragement and optimism from my parents, family and friends, I did.” Dadabhoy, who teaches at St Catherine’s Orphanage confessed, "I entered the pageant with no expectations, and returned with a title... For me, being a second runner-up is not enough... It’s not the last you’ve seen of this optimistic diva!”
(Clockwise, from r): Maureen Wadia, Avvan Sethna, Dinshaw Mehta; Pashmina Dadabhoy, Sethna, Fionika Nava; Malini Agarwal; Jimmy Mistry; dance sequence; participants with organizing team; Gary Lawyer
Photos: Yazad Karai
Prior to the main event, all the contestants had undergone grooming sessions conducted by experts in various fields. Actress/model Perizaad Zora-bian, fitness guru Mickey Mehta, actress/models Nauheed Cyrusi and Dilkush Reporter, ramp walk expert Hufriya Bhivandiwala, make-up artist Arshis Zaveri, dance teacher Merzi Pestonjee, writer/director Meherzad Patel helped build their confidence levels. Also involved in the preparatory period were legal expert Hormaz Mehta, religious lecturer and BPP trustee Khojeste Mistree, social psychologist Fawza Marolia, motivational expert Minocher Patel, table etiquette trainer Sunita Kanga, Zoomba (dance exercise) instructor Binaifer Kantawala, dental expert Ashdin Turner, stylist Khushnaz Turner, dance therapist Dilshad Patel, dermatologist Behroze Deputy, self-defence expert Hoshi Batliwala. Photographer Arish Patel created portfolios for each participant. During the grooming sessions the contestants were provided with customized T-shirts sponsored by the international brand Goatees.
Lights, sound, music and stage arrangements were organized by Yazad Karai of Nyumark Entertainment, and Bianca and her team took care of make-up and hair styling. BPP trustee Yazdi Desai and his wife Anahita played an integral role in organizing the event. Present in the audience were BPP chairman Dinshaw Mehta and trustees Arnavaz Mistry, Armaity Tirandaz, Muncherji Cama, Mistree and his wife Feroza with former Central Bank head Homai Daruwala. For the very first time Ernst and Young audited the results of the contest.
Benaifer J. Mirza
◆ ◆ ◆
From the archive