The search for a South African lady with the potential to take Bollywood by storm was announced in Cape Town today by IPL Chairman and Commissioner, Lalit Modi, and Bollywood superstars Shah Rhuk Khan, Shilpa Shetty and Preity Zinta.
“We're looking for someone who has the star quality to stand out in a crowd, probably without even trying that hard. It's that special, almost indefinable, quality that makes someone a star more than a beauty queen that we are looking for,” Modi said today.
“IPL matches with their mix of fun and excitement are an excellent environment to identify the kind of person who is a natural stand-out in a big crowd,” said Modi.
“Star searches like this are a really great way to find people who may never even have thought that they have what it takes to really make it big,” said Khan. “The heart of our idea is to search the crowd at IPL matches for someone who has the attitude and appearance that automatically draws the eye. It will be the kind of person who is not necessarily showing off for the camera, but who can mesmerise even total strangers,” he said.
A total of 50 winners will be chosen from the crowds at every one of the eight venues around the country that is to host IPL matches. Winners will be shown on the big screen at every match during the second five-minute break.
There will be one finalist per match, identified with the help of TV producers who will have cameras scanning the crowds. IPL matches are being played in Cape Town, East London, Port Elizabeth, Durban, Bloemfontein, Kimberley, Johannesburg and Pretoria. Tickets to matches are on sale through Computicket.
Photographs of each match winner will be loaded to a section of the IPL web site (www.iplt20.com) where fans from around the world can cast their vote. Fans casting votes will also be able to participate in a fan competition around Miss Bollywood SA.
Before photographs are uploaded to the web site, each winner will need to verify that she agrees to enter, that her photograph can appear on the web site and that she is at least 18 years old.
One finalist from each venue will be chosen, leaving eight winners to be hosted and feted at The Wanderers in Johannesburg at the final of the IPL 2009 tournament on 24 May. The ultimate winner will be announced during the final.
