She is one successful woman from the world of showbiz who thinks, it's not beauty but intelligence that made her what she is today. Well, we are talking about Yukta Mookhey, the ex-Miss World-turned-Bollywood actress.
Coming from a simple middleclass family of Mumbai suburbs, Yukta has come a long way. But what prompted her to think beyond ordinary and get into the big league without even a moment's hesitation? Yukta answers, "In my school and college, because of my height, people used to call me Amitabh Bachchan. But when Sushmita Sen, who is tall according to Indian standard, became Miss Universe, I thought why should not I use my height to my advantage?
So I informed my parents that my career choice is modeling and incase you don't support me I will walk out. They put a condition that I have to win a beauty contest and only then can they allow me to do it. Fortunately, I succeeded in fulfilling their expectations."
But isn't it, someway, predictable that after winning beauty contests she too has got into Bollywood like her predecessors? "Well what can one do, especially, when in this country modeling and television are good enough to take as an alternate profession?" she asks.
An admirer of Amitabh Bachchan, Vinod Khanna and Manisha Koirala, Yukta is now all set to make her debut in Bollywood with forthcoming Hindi film Pyaasa. "Unlike the black and white Guru Dutt classic of the same title, here is a suspense-filled emotional drama which deals with a revenge story of a Business woman," Yukta says about her latest assignment, adding that “the film is about a strong aggressive woman who can go upto any extent to fulfill her wish."
Yukta, who is trained in Hindustani music, has a passion for music. "For some time I am planning to come out with an album and I also had a couple of meeting with Anu Malik about this," she says. "In fact I wish to be a singing actress like yesteryear heroines."
Like other normal young girls of her age, Yukta too likes to go out with friends for a movie or check out on good food in the latest eating joints in town. And ask her what's the secret of the glow on her face, Yukta answers : “It's all about feeling good and keeping clean thoughts."
A real go-getter, Yukta's message to her fans is : "Whatever the human mind dreams, conceives and believes it can achieve. So there is nothing impossible. Once you decide you want to do something, go for it."
She is one successful woman from the world of showbiz who thinks, it's not beauty but intelligence that made her what she is today. Well, we are talking about Yukta Mookhey, the ex-Miss World-turned-Bollywood actress.