As the blinding flashbulbs retire for the night and the flawless mask of shine and glitter comes off with a drop of astringent, Bidita Bag returns to a reality not half as pretty as the one concocted on the ramp. No, we haven’t woken up in a Madhur Bhandarkar film, but the modelling industry (if we can at all call it one) in the city is stranger to the photoshopped glamour that we associate it with. To start with, the city is yet to wake up to the idea of agencies. “We have no proper agencies that can help you get a portfolio done, assist you with assignments. It becomes very difficult for a newcomer,” says Pinky Kenworthy, former model and painter. And it is not the only evidence of the severe lack of professionalism in the Kolkata leg of the modelling scene. “Lot of clients here don’t know who to approach for events and shoots. Taking advantage of the confusion, people who don’t know anything about fashion get into the scene and give the industry a bad name,” says model Jessica Gomes, who also organizes events at times.

Models themselves, at times, make it difficult to make harmony exist in the industry. “There’s very little unity among the models here. In most other cities, most models have fixed rates for shoots and shows. Here, people keep changing their price, they demand some amount from one client, some other amount from somebody else. It definitely questions both our talents and professionalism,” says Jessica. Also, with little feeling of solidarity around, it becomes difficult to deal with truant clients, event managers etc. “If you protest against un-professionalism, low pay, you’ll immediately be replaced by someone who is willing to work for half your pay,” says Pinky, who had to deal with whimsical events managers and model coordinators all throughout her career.

... contd.