As a teenager, Rishitha Koruturu was going through #TallGirlProblems and everyone advised her to take up modelling owing to her height. She did not pay much attention to this until about seven months ago, when she tried it out. "It just came so naturally to me," beams the 19-year-old. So naturally, that she not only won the title of Miss Hyderabad at the Trends Miss Hyderabad 2017 pageant, but she also found her space on the small screen as a contestant in Top Model India's first season on Colours Infinity. Yes, yes, it's that show that has supermodel Lisa Haydon, ace photographer Atul Kasbekar and Vogue India’s editor Anaita Shroff Adajania as the judges.
Though she was recently eliminated, Rishitha isn't blinded by the glamour. The self-aware model knows that the world of modelling is make-believe and to sustain, she must continue working hard. "At the end of the day, it's all about how good you are at the job," says the model, who is in her third year of Mechanical Engineering at Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University, Hyderabad.
Confessing that she was a fat-to-fit story herself, she advises those who aspire to become models not to let dejection bog them down as, "There is always a requirement. For example, when one is tall, they are perfect for the ramp. Others might be perfect for something else. So, don't be dismayed," says Rishitha, speaking from personal experience, while commending the inclusivity in the industry as plus-size models are also being encouraged.
Rishitha Koruturu, model
She also reminds us that all those models we see on TV and magazines have been made to look that way after a lot of effort. So, no matter what, one must feel comfortable and confident instead of comparing themselves. And Rishitha is confident that she has found her calling. Once she finishes her education, she hopes to shift to the City of Dreams to find work as a model.
