Models, fashion industry professionals react to Babaji’s suicide

MUMBAI - Models and fashion professionals, who worked with supermodel Viveka Babaji during her career expressed their grief over her tragic death, asserting that stresses in the profession are great and often make things quite tough to bear.

“The stage of depression comes in everyone’s life. Everyone is there just to rock your boat. I have also gone through this many times, but am happy, as I take responsibility for my mistakes which I have made, and am not running from it,” said top model Ujjwala Raut on the sidelines of a fashion event.

“If you don’t want to carry it, then this is the easiest way out. But to stay and fight is the tough thing. She (Babaji) wanted to have an easy way out and she was done,” she added.

Meanwhile, renowned fashion photographer Subi Samuel said there is a lot of competition in the fashion industry.

“The competition is always there and you know you are selling your talent and obviously that does not mean that you resort to taking drugs, or to do compromises, or to giving up your life. I definitely don’t agree with it,” said Samuel.

Saireena, an upcoming model, however, said the profession demands a lot of dedication and hard work, which gives immense mental pressure to the models.

“I don’t know about Viveka Babaji’s death but I think the profession has a lot of stress and competition in today’s world. A lot of misuse and pressure is also there. Sometimes it’s difficult to handle,” said Saireena.

“We face too much cut-throat competition and many girls enter Mumbai every year to become a model,” she added.

Former Miss India New Zealand Sanna Dhaadli, however, said modelling is just like any other profession.

“It all depends on an individual. Basically it’s like how you carry yourself and how you treat your profession. You may look good, may not. But all these things do not mean that your life is finished at the age of 30-40,”aid Dhaadli.

“It’s not true. Modelling is just like any other profession,” she claimed.

Thirty-seven year old Babaji had apparently committed suicide at her Bandra apartment on June 25. (ANI)