Natalie Glebova-Miss Universe Natalie Glebova

Universal appeal

Miss Universe Natalie Glebova says her mission is to work for the cause of AIDS prevention in an interview to MERRA MOHANTY

 

SPREADING A POSITIVE MESSAGE Natalie Glebova Photo: M. Vedhan

When you are as stunning (and we haven't used this adjective more accurately ever before) as Natalie Glebova, you need that big brawny bodyguard, the man who can fight that crush of cameramen. Getting two minutes with the Miss Universe is not easy.

Natalie Glebova was in Chennai, doing what keeps reigning beauty queens so busy — making visits to hospitals, posing with local stars and those who matter, making statements, and most important, looking drop dead gorgeous.

"There wasn't a turning point when I suddenly realised I was beautiful, I was always self confident and I knew that if I put my mind to it I could do anything I wanted." At five feet eleven, the blue-eyed Canadian of Russian origin, dressed in a flowing aqua marine chiffon dress, could have just stepped out of Swan Lake, after all she's been a rhythmic gymnast. Stopping for a few quick answers between a photo shoot at Flame, Le Meridien, and a visit to Papa Vidyakar's Udavum Karangal, Natalie Glebova talks about AIDS.

Natalie has travelled through several countries and even taken a public `AIDS test' in South Africa. "In a lot of these countries, the similarity is nobody talks about it. But I'm going to step forward and talk about it. If you are going to have sex, then use protection," says Natalie. "Let's talk about reused needles, mother to child transmission and blood transfusion. In Africa, the situation is horrible, entire generations have been wiped out due to AIDS. You don't want that to happen in this country," she adds.

"Initially", the 23-year-old admits, "it was really hard for me, seeing little children affected and I would cry. But then I would try and look at the positive side — that's what I always do for everything — you look at the programmes that are available."

Facts at fingertips

"Back at home in Canada, AIDS is an issue, but with 56,000 infected, it's a relatively smaller issue." Natalie has all the facts and figures at her fingertips, a point to be noted in favour of the beauty queen.

"Can I add something?" asks Roston Ogata, Director of Talent, Miss Universe, who sits in on the interview like a hawk, having dismissed the small audience. (Did I mention getting two minutes alone with the Miss Universe is not easy?) "I have been doing this for the last seven years, from Canada to Puerto Rico to Swaziland, and once you take an issue seriously, you get to realise the true picture. Today Natalie can speak about it more freely than before," he says.

And that's what Natalie has been doing in India, talking about AIDS, courtesy IG International. "Even as students, my brother and I had done a programme for AIDS for AMFA (Affordable Medicines for Africa) with people like Iman, Inez Ribeiro and Barbara Hershey," says Sanjana Jon, designer and president, IG International. "It's in 2003 that we did something with Manoj Night Shyamalan, and then with last year's Miss Universe Jennifer Hawkins."

This year's reigning beauty says: "It's been really good so far as I have travelled through five different cities and seen, if not a lot of the country, at least some of it, experienced some of the culture and met some fabulous people." This includes filmstar Salman Khan. "It's such a wonderful, powerful stance for an Indian filmstar to make a statement for the cause of AIDS Prevention," says Sanjana. "And more than IG international, Sanjana Jon or Miss Universe, here it's Salman's voice that will reach the masses."

"We don't want to frighten people, all we want to say is be careful and get tested," says Sanjana. "The line is: Get tested, it's in fashion."

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