Juhi Chawla recently took to Instagram to share her mantra for 2021. It was a clip from the iconic song, Yuhi Kat Jayega Safar, from her 1993 movie, Hum Hain Rahi Pyar Ke. And, while looking at the clip it made us realise that the 53-year-old hasn’t aged one bit! Juhi Chawla, even today, reflects that youthfulness and charming smile that she did in the 1993 song. Then another realisation hit home: It’s been 37 years since she was crowned Miss India.
When we mentioned the titbit to her, the actor-turned-environmentalist got nostalgic. Time-travelling back to her Miss India days, Juhi said, “I was in college. A circular for the pageant was being distributed and some of my friends were going to participate. So I was like, why can’t I enrol too? I made my dad sign the form, and when I went to him, he just stared at me! ‘Look at yourself…you want to become Miss India?’ is what he said. But he was polite and signed it nonetheless. And, now that I am a parent, I understand he must have been surprised with my decision.”
Further shedding light on the selection process back then, Juhi said, “One round I remember I had to go to Femina office for an interview. From there, I, along with a few other contestants, went to Shanmukhananda Hall in Mumbai for rehearsals. And, the best part is, the contest was in the evening! Some got eliminated during the interview, and about 30-40 girls appeared for the actual show — it was a very brief selection process.”
But times have changed, and with the addition of so many pageants, the selection process is a little more organised now. “Miss India process is a bit more professional now. You have somebody to groom, style and guide you. During our times there was nothing of this sort. We would go on Ram bharose…it was so amateurish, and I filled up the form just for fun!” Juhi exclaimed.
Health mantra
Over the past few months, Juhi has been taking an ayurvedic treatment for her holistic well-being. “I spent a month or so in Delhi and Dubai. And, when I came back I had time on hand before resuming work. So I thought why not make good use of it and go in for a detox — not just for my skin, but also to feel good from within! My therapist, Ayush Shakti, has been treating me at home under the guidance of Dr Hemang Parikh and Sita Narang. They have advised me on a certain programme, based on my body’s requirements, which I have been following,” Juhi avers.
Beauty tips
Drink a lot of red and green juice. The green juice comprises of amla, bitter gourd, three to four green vegetables like spinach, broccoli, coriander, cucumber, etc. Red juice is made from fruits/vegetables like pomegranate, beetroot, carrot, amla, aloe vera…These juices have to be taken on a daily basis and are good for preventing hair fall and promoting hair growth.
