Miss Universe: 'I don't know about beautiful'

By Mehru Jaffer

JAKARTA (JP): Lara Dutta, the reigning Miss Universe and second Indian to win the title, had no idea as to how similar the two cultures of Indonesia and India really are.

She found that out just a few days ago when she visited the Indonesian consulate in New York to get a visa. She saw paintings of episodes from the Mahabharata and the Ramayana there and wondered to herself, "Don't those look familiar?" Lara, who comes across as a deadly combination of beauty and brains, spoke to The Jakarta Post over a quick lunch of gulai kambing (Indonesian lamb curry) and naan (Indian bread).

And once she got to know a little more about the historic ties shared by both countries she was even more impatient to get here. When she finally arrived in Jakarta last Tuesday on the shoulders of the Maharajah, the mascot of Air India, she was surprised to see what a cosmopolitan city Jakarta is.

Downtown Jakarta with its imposing skyscrapers remind her of New York.

"It did not take very long for me to feel completely at home here." Lara had expected Jakarta to be a lot more traditional in appearance. At Taman Sari, the Royal Heritage Spa of her host, Mustika Ratu, where she asked for a traditional massage with citrus oil, she concluded that this is a place where traditions and modernity seem to coexist in perfect harmony.

She has a tight schedule here, from attending fashion shows, gala dinners and the finale of the Miss Indonesia contest, to touring a garment factory and chatting online through a local portal.

Lara will also travel to Yogyakarta and will be a personal guest of the governor of Bali before she returns to New York to fulfill her duties as Miss Universe.

Lara won the coveted crown for her presence and poise as much as for her beauty after she convinced the grand jury with her eloquence that she did represent the women of the new millennium. She said pageants like Miss Universe give young women a platform to voice choices and opinions and it makes them strong and independent.

Named after the lead character played on the screen by Julie Christie in the film Dr. Zhivago, the economics student at Mumbai University comes from a family that seems to have made living in the clouds a happy pastime. Both her father and one sister are pilots and Lara loves paragliding, is fond of bungee-jumping and once wanted to be an astronomer.

For some reason she seems to have thrown all her other ambitions to the wind for the moment and has settled down to be a star.

She does not rule out the possibility of acting in films but two years from now she would like to get her masters in media marketing. Her long-term career plans include making documentary films along the lines of the History Channel.

Lara, who has a sophistication far beyond her 22 years, answered questions on a wide range of topics from religion, responsibilities that come with the crown of Miss Universe to revealing only a little bit about Kelly Dorji, her boyfriend from Bhutan who is just as gorgeous as Miss Universe herself. But before she could think of leaving some words of inspiration for all those billions of struggling women who are not lucky enough to be exposed to opportunities as she is, she was whisked away by her coterie of escorts to visit a rehabilitation center for women drug addicts.

Excerpts from the interview:

Question: Do you really think that you are the most beautiful woman in the Universe?

I don't know about beautiful. At the contest there were 79 girls and everyone was beautiful, everybody was intelligent. It is no longer being beautiful in that sense of the word. It is also about being able to identify with people from different walks of life from infants to the elderly, and about being the best possible representative of this universe of ours with all its beauty and diversity.

Here you are a Hindu, a guest in the largest Muslim country in the world. What do you have to say about Hindu-Muslim animosity in India and Muslim-Christian animosity here?

I have only one thing to say about animosity of any sort. There may be lines and boundaries drawn on the ground separating one country from another but we do not have to have them in our head. I wish people would realize how important it is to rub away or erase the differences we have drawn mentally.

How does this benefit human beings?

Then we can embrace everyone and see through people beyond the religion they practice, the food they eat or the way they might smell. We have to deal with each other as human beings by dropping our ego. The only thing that separates us from each other really is our ego and not national boundaries or our religion.

What do you have to say to those in this country who express concern and opposition to women participating in beauty pageants, especially in a swimsuit?

Gone are the days when beauty pageants concentrated just on the body and a pretty face. The briefing that the judges give at the Miss Universe is to look for someone intelligent, yes, but also someone with the intelligence to realize the amount of responsibility bestowed upon the winner for a whole year.

It is not just about getting up and putting on makeup and looking pretty. I have to meet with all kinds of people who want to know all kinds of things from me, especially the media, and I better know what I am saying to my audience.

To be able to bear this title with a responsibility is what is more important today. To a certain degree the pageant still concentrates on the physical but it is more on the fitness level of the contestant. I think this is important realizing the work that I have done in the last three weeks. I would not have coped or looked presentable if I was not physically fit.

But what about the swimsuit?

Whether it is walking down in a swimsuit or a traditional dress is personal.

Every person has to make that choice individually. Coming from a democratic country like India where freedom of action and expression is a birthright of every citizen, I would leave it up to the woman concerned. If she is confident and comfortable with herself in a swimsuit I don't think anybody has the right to put her down for it.

What do you have to say to the restriction in this country against Miss Indonesia participating in the Miss Universe pageant?

I wish I could say that Miss Universe does give one lucky woman the opportunity of a lifetime during that one year when she can achieve a lot for herself, her country and this universe. So if an Indonesian girl can go out there and grab that opportunity she should do it.

As an Indian what do Asian values mean to you?

It is feeling close to people, to one's family and community. There are some ills that are also a part of Indian tradition, like child marriages and dowry deaths, but things are fortunately changing. The most wonderful aspect of Asian values is the bond between people. I cherish that very much. In the West too many people are on their own, independent and successful, yes, but alone, lonely.

Why do you think so many Indian women win the Miss Universe and Miss World titles?

The organization at home of Miss India is very supportive and trains us thoroughly for the international contest. The emphasis from the beginning is on intelligence more than looks and all those girls who have made it are very well-spoken and women of today in the true sense of the word, who are able to put their ideas across to the whole universe.

You have spoken with such love and affection about your dad in past interviews. What role does your mother play in your life?

More than 200 percent. I am what I am because of my mother.

What do you expect most out of this trip to Indonesia?

I am very excited about traveling within the country ... going to Bali. It is just incredible being here. There is such graciousness everywhere and if I am able to take back with me even a little bit of this culture and knowledge from all the people I am meeting and the places I am visiting, it would be a privilege.

Do you have a message for the women of this country?

Dream your dreams and just go out there and get whatever it is that you are looking for. It is important to make your choices.

Has there been any reaction from actress Julie Christie who plays Lara in Dr. Zhivago or Omar Sharief on your victory?

(Laughs) I don't think so. Not yet, anyway.