TOI: Daring Divas!

Daring Divas

They are fun,fearless and feisty! And they are never out of the public eye.Our expert panel selects five iconic women who had the power to script their destiny.Indrani Rajkhowa Banerjee reports

TIMES NEWS NETWORK


THESE women have it all.They are in the limelight for their beauty and bravado! From entertainment to politics,these women have made an impact on the world with their grit and grace.Who is the daring diva amongst them all A panel of eminent men,including fashion photographer Atul Kasbekar,film director Madhur Bhandarkar,model and fitness guru Rahul Dev and author Tuhin Sinha made their choice and listed five women whove inspired millions with their neversay-die spirit.

The Powerful Mrs



Nita Ambani

On the surface,shes the archetypal billionaire wife,a connoisseur of glittering diamonds and l u x u r y brands.But grapevine has it that,in spite of having advisors on his payrolls,Mukesh Ambani turns to his wife for a balanced viewpoint,personal and professional matters.Nita Ambani may not score in the self created category,but she doesnt believe in living in the shadows.Known for her leadership qualities,the Mumbai Indian boss is a stickler for targets,and means business.

Material Girl



Freida Pinto

She does not have a film pedigree,a beauty queen crown or a godfather.From being the girl-next-door,who commuted by the Mumbai local to dining with the whos who of Hollywood in the worlds most expensive restaurants,Freida Pinto became the living image of how a middle-class girl attains unbelievable success overnight.The red carpet simply loves her and even though Bollywood is condescending of her,Woody Allen and other movie maestros seem to think otherwise!

Superstar Forever



Madhuri Dixit

She was the superstar,the female Amitabh Bachchan,who quit when she felt it was the right time,and settled into family life in America.Far away from the spotlight,not showing any regrets for the glory left behind,she proved that contentment is ones own calling and cannot be dictated by any success parameter.And just when the media wrote her off as the regular housewife,shopping at hypermarkets with her children,she made a smashing comeback in a well-scripted move.Sartorial style,charisma and grace Madhuri Dixit has proved that theres n o t h i n g wrong in wa n t i n g marriage and kids,and its always good to have Plan B!

Iron Lady



Kiran Bedi

Ask any young girl what she wants to be in life,in all probability shed say,Kiran Bedi.Such is the magnetism of Indias most glamorous supercop that even after years of retirement,shes not the one to be written off.Tough lady in an all-male bastion,she is the original lady with the tag line I Dare.

Super CEO



Indra Nooyi

Now why would a quintessentially American company making American products appoint a CEO who isnt America-born or male,for that matter Unless,you are a gritty Indra Krishnamoorthy Nooyi,a former management consultant who makes the companys profit graph skyrocket.Heres the simple story of a powerful woman.An Indian girl from a conservative Chennai family,she worked as a receptionist in Connecticut from midnight to sunrise to pay for her studies there.Today,counted as one of the most influential women in the world,Nooyi reconfirms the fact that glass ceilings are broken not with arrogance,but with a belief in oneself.indrani.rajkhowa@timesgroup.com