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Finding a place in the sun
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Models Pia Trivedi and Marc Robinson trade notes on their experiences on and off the catwalk
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MODELSPEAK Pia Trivedi and Marc Robinson strike a pose PHOTO: MURALI KUMAR K.
Marc Robinson needs no introduction. He is one of the faces that defined the male Indian model. As for Pia Trivedi, she came into the limelight thanks to fashion photographer Atul Kasbekar, who featured her in his Kingfisher Swimsuit Calendar. Robinson is still in demand as a model. Besides, he has done a few Bollywood roles. Trivedi is one of the most recognisable faces on Channel [V], where she is a veejay.
Recently, the two left their ramp-selves behind and discussed the human side of the modelling industry in a Take Two. Shilpa Sebastian R. listened in.
Pia: Is modelling a launch-pad for youngsters to get into films?
Marc: Actually no.
Pia: But not all of them made it to films, did they? And what do you think about the adage `models can't act?'
Marc: There are models who have proved to be successful actors. We have Juhi Chawla, Sonali Bendre, Sushmita Sen, Aishwarya Rai, John Abraham... It's a myth that models can't act. In fact, I think hits and flops depend on scripts and directors too. These days there are young directors willing to experiment.
Pia: In modelling, 35 is retirement age.
Marc: Yes, it is. When did you start modelling?
Pia: I was eighteen.
Marc: Brilliant. You see, in the West, girls start modelling at that age and stop by the time they are in their 20s. There, unless you are a Naomi Campbell, you can't go on till you are in your 30s. But, in India, people enter the field late and go on and on.
Pia: In our industry how long does it go on?
Marc: Milind and I were around for 13 or 14 years. And, those days, if you wanted to do films you did not model for long, as you did not want to get typecast. For women, it was tougher, as society was not open-minded. But times are changing. It's ok to be a career woman and also have babies when you are in your 30s. Women after a certain point of time don't look as fresh as they did when they were 18. Some even don't know when to call it quits. It's always better to let go and give youngsters a chance. But it's tough to forego all this fame.
Pia: Most models are married and have called it quits. What do you think one can do after quitting modelling?
Marc: There are so many options such as choreographing fashion shows, becoming a hair stylist or a make-up artist or starting a modelling agency or working with one, if you want to continue in the same field.
Pia: Today, getting into modelling is so much easier because of the number of agencies, especially if they are run by ex-models. But the money here is not as big as it is in Bollywood. One has to think of investments in the long run.
Marc: Yeah, but the money you make these days is quite handsome.
Pia: Did you plan your future?
Marc: In a way, yes. Though I got film offers I was content with choreographing shows, as it gives me ample time to spend with my family.
(Is life as a model stressful? There have been quite a few suicides in the past: Nafisa Joseph and Kuljeet Randhawa, for instance.)
Marc: Modelling isn't so stressful that you have to lose your life. Agreed that the life here and the people you meet and deal with are tough. But, mind you, the suicides have been due to personal reasons and not due to work.
Pia: I think it's tough for girls who leave their home towns and choose to live alone. When they go back to an empty house and have no one to talk to, they can feel really low. I think family support is important.
Marc: It's tough, yes, as the hours are long and the make-up is elaborate, and the job involves a lot of travel. But, in spite of it all, it's a fun place to be.
Pia: It's also safe, as we work and travel together. So there's bonding.
Marc: The problem arises when young boys and girls who are involved in various activities, besides modelling, claim to be models. One finds many such youngsters in Mumbai. And this compounds the problems that already exist in the field.
Pia: The modelling circle is so small that each one knows the other, be it another model, make-up artiste or photographer.
Marc: It's also a glamorous world where one works immensely on oneself — be it the look, the body or the walk. It's as good as any other profession — journalism or the hotel industry. But it's more visible in our field.
Pia: Yeah. For the Lakme Fashion Week I practised my walk and posture in front of a mirror for hours. The competition is so intense these days.
(Is there a funny side to modelling?)
Marc: About that, Pia will have plenty to tell you!
Pia: Funny, as there are bad shows where you trip on a long gown. In fact, more than being funny, it's embarrassing.
(As kids we were told that modelling doesn't need brains.)
Marc: Modelling does not need brains but one has to be street-savvy. One should be able to market oneself. Surely a scientist cannot be a model! Today, the opportunities are more and there is so much more work for men in the modelling field.
(Do you believe in remaining faithful to the products you endorse? Like Aamir who wears a Titan watch and only drinks Coke in public?)
Marc: Yes, the contract works like that these days. But in our days we endorsed everything.
Pia: You endorsed Thums Up and Coke!
Marc: Yes, those days it was quite flexible and I was lucky or maybe savvy at marketing.
Pia: What do you think of sports people endorsing a product?
Marc: Every company does a market survey before approaching a sports person or a film star to endorse a product. Surely Sachin or Dravid on Doordarshan has better appeal even in rural areas than you or I.
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