Nayonika Chatterjee dubbed as the Naomi Campbell of India, this seasoned model has made her presence felt on the ramp for many years now. Ruling the ramp for twenty one years now, she continues to be the sizzling queen. Originally from Kolkata brought up in Bombay, she currently resides in Delhi for the past seven years.
She is not typecast as the usual model that often and at daily dosage comes across at fashion shows. But unconventional yet conspicuous, salient looking Noyonika Chatterjee, who is attributed the title that she herself earned- the sobriquet of a ramp queen in the 1990`s, is still a vigour to reckon with. Besides grooming budding models, she also sashes down the ramp for business-related fashion shows and those for a noble cause.
Career of Nayonika Chatterjee
She has been the mark up for beauty for many women for more than two centuries now. She is the one who in actuality broke the archetypal stereotype of fair crust models. When the career took off for her there were hardly many models to work. As she herself observes: "If today there are 60 models, when I started out there were only 20. But all of them were gorgeous looking."
Edifying that she was approached for a modelling assignment and not vice-versa, Noyonika connotes: "While studying at St. Xavier`s College in Mumbai, I was approached by choreographer Naroji to do a ramp show. After the show I was inundated with modelling assignments. As for competition, when I started out in 1988 there was hardly any. Competition is there when you are desperately trying to get a foothold in the fashion world and here I was offered one show after another."
It was phase of time as she passed out from college that Noyonika studied pottery at National Institute of Design in Ahmedabad. Noyonika has her own sets of specialities; she has trained many beauty contestants including leading Bollywood actresses like Priyanka Chopra, Lara Dutta and Diya Mirza for Miss India pageant. "Even before the show I knew that these three girls will occupy the first three positions in the pageant," she reveals.
As for giving tips to budding designers, Noyonika says: "Whenever aspiring models approach me, I tell them that only if they have the basic requisite should they try their luck in the fashion world for a year. If they succeed then it is okay, otherwise they should move on. At present, I have some projects lined up for training models."
A principal choreographer, Noyonika has taken a leading role as he has choreographed many important beauty events. Besides working with a talent management department called "Celeb International" headed by Bollywood actor Anupam Kher, she was in association with B4U instrumental in being the first to showcase India on Fashion TV (FTV). In fact, she headed FTV India for two years.
An inhibition free individual Nayonika states that in the fashion business models have to look good all the time, Noyonika says that ultimately it is all about looks and how you present yourself. As for Indian models making a mark on the international scene, Noyonika says: "At a time when the whole world is going global, Indian models also stand a good chance of making a mark on the international ramp scene. A lot of Indian Fashion Designers are making waves overseas by participating in fashion weeks across the world. However, it is easier for female models to get modelling assignment." That she is a multi-talented person can be seen from the fact that she has not only trained contestants for modelling contests like "Elite Look Of The Year", "Ford Supermodel" and "Metropolitan Top Model" but also hosted several shows like "Femina Look of the Year" and "Gladrags Supermodel" contest.