Former Miss World Yukta Mookhey does not exactly have a flourishing career right now. But she is not worrying. ‘I feel people have been unfortunate not to cast me in their films and it is entirely their loss,’ she tells Jyoti Kalsi in Dubai

"Purrfect." This was Yukta Mookhey’s reply when asked how she felt seated on the stage, with the eyes of the world upon her, at the Miss World pageant. She went on to win the title. But Yukta’s life has not exactly been perfect since then. Her debut movie Pyaasa, released in 2002, failed to make any ripples and she has since been out of the limelight.

However, she has lost neither her confidence and enthusiasm nor her typical beauty queen like zeal to change the world and be a role model. Tabloid caught up with the tall and much slimmer-than-before Miss World 1999 on her recent trip to Dubai to compere a musical evening on New Year’s Eve.

Excerpts from the interview.

Your first film got you bad reviews and negative publicity. What lessons did you learn from this experience?
I learnt that I come from a simple middle class background and do not understand the politics of the film industry; so it is best to be diplomatic and not stick out my honesty in the silly little world of men. As an actor I learnt a lot — about camera angles, dialogue delivery, body language, voice modulation and what clothes and make-up suit me.

Do you feel frustrated at not being able to fully capitalise on your Miss World title?
No. I feel people have been unfortunate not to cast me in their films and it is entirely their loss. I am here to do work on my terms.

I never feel frustrated because I believe that God has a design and plan for everyone and I am grateful for what he has given me so far. I am happy that I have the blessings of my parents, gurus and elders.

What are you working on currently?
I want to do women-oriented films that will be remembered and will contribute to meaningful cinema. I am now doing a film called Memsahab based on the 1984 riots in Delhi. I play the central character. The film has a wonderful social message and should be released by May. I am also doing a film based on the life of artist Raja Ravi Verma, where I play his muse. I have been concentrating on my classical music training and hopefully will give my first stage performance this year. I also hope to release an album of bhajans, ghazals and semi-classical thumris soon. I have also been learning kathak, which will help in my acting career.

Miss World introduced me to various social causes and I am involved in many projects such orphan adoption, organ donation and helping children with thalassemia. I have recently spent time learning Indian sign language because I feel that hearing impaired people have so much latent creativity and are hampered only by their inability to communicate. I would like to help them by drawing attention to this issue.

Have your dreams changed in the five years since you became Miss World?
The large dream is constant and all my decisions are based on that. I want to do work that will serve as an inspiration to the younger generation and I want women to reach their potential. I believe that women have innate strength and the talent to do any job five times better than men, but they tend to give it up for one man that they choose. As a dancer, singer, actor, TV host and social worker, I want to be a role model who can inspire and motivate women to achieve this potential.

You have recently been dragged into the news just because a distant relative committed a crime. How do you react to that?
It does not bother me. The media is fickle and all journalism today can be called yellow journalism. Journalists have forgotten their responsibility of checking facts and only look for sensationalism. I look at it dispassionately and know that they are doing their job and I have to continue doing mine. In the larger picture, people will only remember my work and how I conduct myself.

What is your New Year resolution for 2005?
My resolution is to do good films and to spend more time on spiritually evolving myself through meditation, because it is necessary to have inner peace to perform well.

Where do you see yourself in the next five years?
As a successful, established actress known for her quality work and as a person who has made a place for herself in people’s hearts with her good films, songs and contribution to social causes.

In hindsight, what advice would you give to pageant aspirants?
Look within yourself honestly and understand your strengths and true purpose in life. Give the beauty pageant a shot but do not pin all your aspirations on it, because, ultimately, modelling is a good hobby but it can never be a serious career. Focus not on physical beauty but on whom you are inside. There are pageants in every sphere of life where you can win fame, respect and money.