IndiaPost.com - Anita Vasan - new beauty queen

India Post News Service

GLENDALE, CA: Miss Showbiz India 2007, unlike many other pageants, is a platform for young women to showcase their talents and skills. Held at the Alex Theater in Glendale, California, this year's pageant crowned Anita Vasan as the new beauty queen. Vasan not only won the crown but also the Audience Choice Award.

A technical glitch during her talent segment gave Vasan an edge over the other contestants, as she showed grace under pressure, rearranging her routine without a trace of hesitation. Also showing grace was 2nd runner-up Afsaneh Sanjari, who was asked how she, as an Indian would promote her Indian culture to non-Indians. Sanjari, an Iranian-American, clarified that she was not an Indian but mentioned all the things that attracted her to the Indian culture.

"I was taken aback when I heard this question because this question was not for me," mentioned Sanjari. "At the end of the answer I myself was not satisfied with what I had said, so how could the judges have liked what I said." Sanjari won the "Most Beautiful Hair" and "Most Beautiful Eyes" Awards.

"I realized that one wrong question had changed what could have been," wrote Sanjari in her letter to the India Post Editor, "I will keep asking why the judges were not informed about the contestants' nationality." India Post contacted Showbiz India regarding this and several other allegations, however Showbiz India officials never replied.

The Pageant overall focused more on the talent and skills of the young women, with the contestants performing numerous times from regional folk dances to Bollywood style performances. The Pageant had all the glamour it can hold, starting with Former Miss World Diana Hayden as a Co-Host, and various big named producers and entrepreneurs as Judges.

To top it off, celebrities such as Bollywood Star Celina Jaitley and Actress Noureen DeWulf were on stage to hand out the awards. Priya Anantram placed 2nd, while finalist Niti Arora won the "Most Beautiful Smile" Award. Although, finalist Anam Gulraiz didn't bag any awards, she did however wow the audience with her soulful voice.

One of the top choices of the audience, Arshiya Parmar did not make it to the finals but she did her parents proud with The "Most Photogenic" Award. The pageant certainly reflected the idea that dreams do come true, as contestant number one, Khushi Sadry eloquently said in her introduction, "nothing is impossible, as even the word impossible, when broken down says 'I M Possible."

Kudos to all the contestants for doing their best; India Post congratulates you!