Gladrags Manhunt and Megamodel Contest


The Gladrags Manhunt and Megamodel Contest is an annual unisex pageant conducted by the Indian Gladrags magazine. The most appealing male and female models are selected and promoted by the magazine.
They first conduct a round of selection from the regions and then post all the elimination rounds for the final contestants. The group undergoes training including physical fitness, grooming, catwalk, diction and speech.

Gladrags Manhunt Contest

History

The Gladrags Contest is an annual modeling event established in the early 1990s by Maureen Wadia, wife of industrialist Nusli Wadia, who owns Bombay Dyeing, one of India’s oldest textile companies. Initially started to support Bombay Dyeing’s promotional efforts, Maureen Wadia created the Gladrags magazine, which functioned both as a fashion publication and a men’s magazine, featuring swimsuit images of models. The contest later expanded to include Mrs. India and Little Miss and Master contests.
The contest provided Bombay Dyeing with a source of models for its products, including bath and bed linens, while winners gained visibility that could launch careers in modeling or film. Unlike other beauty pageants, Gladrags contest was notable for its focus on the swimsuit round, with winners often featured on the magazine cover.
The first Gladrags Manhunt Contest India was held in 1994. Rajat Bedi of Punjab was the first winner. He represented India at Manhunt International 1994 held in Greece and was fourth runner up.
At the 2017 contest was held at the Mahalaxmi Racecourse in Mumbai In the Little Miss & Master India Pageant, Mishika Sonkar and Shaurya Saraswat won the juniors’ division, and Tithi Surti and Nikhil Chhabria won in the seniors’ category. Arni Sapkal won the Mrs. India Mumbai title, and Hina Azad and Bobby Vij were named winners of the Megamodel Manhunt Mumbai pageant.

International achievements

In 2001, Rajeev Singh of Rajasthan became the first Asian and Indian to win the Manhunt International contest. He also won two sub-awards at the contest including Sharmoon Best Dressed Gentleman Award and Best in National Costume.
India has produced many runners-up at the pageant, most notably Dino Morea, Zulfi Syed and John Abraham, all of whom have since established themselves in the Bollywood industry. The contest has also given India some of the finest models ever seen by Indian fashion industry like supermodel Muzamil Ibrahim, actor and model Sidharth Shukla, model Farhad Shahnawaz, actor and model Abhimanyu Jain, 4th runner up Manhunt International 2006 and Arry Dabas, semifinalist in 2012. Other notable winners include Romeo Gates, Ahran Chaudhary and Ravi Awana.
In 2005, Sidharth Shukla, runner-up of Gladrags Manhunt 2004, represented India at the Best Model Of The World contest held in Turkey and became the first Indian to win the title. Later Shukla became a model in India and starred in Bollywood films.

Representatives to Manhunt International

  • The winner of the Gladrags Manhunt represents India at Manhunt International, but if for any reason the winner is unable to compete then a runner up is sent to the pageant.
YearRepresentativeStateRankingSpecial awards
1994Rajat BediPunjab4th Runner Up
1995Dino MoreaKarnataka1st Runner Up
1997Zulfi SyedKarnataka4th Runner Up
1998Balbir MeenaRajasthanUnplaced
1999John AbrahamMaharashtra1st Runner Up
2000Regi VergheseHyderabadUnplaced
2001Rajeev SinghRajasthanManhunt International 2001Sharmoon Best Dressed Gentleman
Best National Costume
2002Nitin SinghMaharashtraTop 15
2005Pawan SetpalMaharashtraUnplacedMr. Photogenic - 1st Runner Up
2006Aryan BaruahTop 15Mister Personality - 2nd Runner Up
2007Vivian DsenaUjjainTop 10
Finalist
2007Abhimanyu JainRajasthan4th Runner Up
2008Romeo GatesLondonTop 15Mister Internet Popularity
2010Ahran ChaudharyUttar PradeshTop 16Mister Internet Popularity
2011Shashvath SethMaharashtraUnplaced
2012Arry DabasKarnatakaTop 15 Mister Photogenic
2014Gaurav KumarNew Delhi

Representatives to Best Model of the World

  • The winner of the Gladrags Manhunt represents India at the Best Model of the World contest, but if for any reason the winner is unable to compete then a runner up is sent to the pageant.
YearRepresentativeStateRankingSpecial awardsRef.
2000Shabbir AliKarnatakaUnplacedBest Asian Model
2001Abhinav GautamMaharashtraUnplacedBest Asian Model
2002Vijay BalharaMaharashtra4th Runner UpBest Gentleman
2003Ganesh VenkatramanMaharashtraUnplaced
2005Sidharth ShuklaMaharashtraBest Model of the World
2006Abhimanyu JainRajasthan3rd Runner UpMister Photo-model
2007Romeo GatesLondonUnplaced
2009Prateek BalharaMaharashtraUnplaced

Gladrags Mega model Contest

History

The first Mega model contest was held in 1994, and girls all across the country competed for the coveted title. Shweta Menon of Kerala was declared the winner.
Lara Dutta later established herself as a leading Bollywood actress.

Representatives to Miss Intercontinental

  • The winner of Gladrags Mega model represented India at Miss Intercontinental from 1997 to 2003.
  • Earlier Femina Teen Princess held the franchise of Miss Intercontinental pageant in India.
  • From 2011, Indian Princess holds the franchise of Miss Intercontinental in India.
YearRepresentativeStateRankingSpecial awards
1997Lara DuttaKarnatakaMiss Intercontinental 1997
1998Tora KhasigarAssamUnplaced
1999Aanchal KumarPunjabSemi-finalist
2001Koena MitraMaharashtraTop 12
2002Rakhee ChaudharyKarnatakaSemi-finalist
2003Deepti GujralMaharashtra3rd Runner Up

Representatives to [Miss Tourism International]

YearRepresentativeStateRankingSpecial awards
2001Candice PintoMaharashtraMiss Tourism International 2001
2002Tejinder KaurNew DelhiUnplaced
2003Deepa ChariMaharashtraUnplaced
2004Parul ChaudhryMaharashtraUnplaced
2005Shriya SinghPunjab2nd Runner Up
2009Anousha ChauhanNew DelhiUnplaced
2010Mahima ChaudharyPuneTop 10

Representatives to Best Model of the World

  • The winner of the Gladrags Mega model contest represented India at Best Model of the World contest, but if for any reason the winner was unable to compete then a runner up was sent to the pageant.
YearRepresentativeStateRankingSpecial awards
2000Jacqueline D’souzaKarnatakaUnplaced
2001Zinobia BoochaNew DelhiUnplaced
2002Mugdha GodseMaharashtraUnplaced
2003Deepa ChariMaharashtraUnplaced
2006Aarti SharmaHaryanaUnplaced
2007Mahima ChaudharyMaharashtraUnplacedMiss Friendship
2008Payal TarafdarAssamUnplaced
2009Ankita MohapatraOdishaUnplaced