"With your help and votes I have claimed the first position (in the "Best Social Candidate” category). Kindly keep casting your votes every day till January 25, (2017). Keep spreading the link… http:pageantvote.co/pageants/259/contestants/1209,” urged financial executive Khushrav Bharucha of Abu Dhabi in his WhatsApp message on December 24. He is among the 22 contestants from different countries currently vying for the Mr Dubai title, "an annual male modeling search competition which showcases talent, fashion, fitness and personality. It aims to promote brotherhood among the diverse community living in Dubai,” notes an introduction to the event on its Facebook page.
Khushrav Bharucha: to showcase fashion and fitness
The audition was based on four rounds: ramp walk, shirtless ramp walk, photo shoot and interview by the panel, each of which were assessed by three judges. Having cleared all these rounds, he was among the 18 shortlisted for the next stage that involves introduction, beach wear ramp walk, street wear ramp walk and party wear ramp walk on January 6, 2018. A week later the candidates participate in the talent night with another ramp walk. On the night of January 26, the 10 finalists will be questioned by a panel of judges, states Bharucha in his email response to Parsiana.
"To be honest, I have never ever done any kind of modeling before nor thought of doing it,” says the 30-year-old. "However it was the constant push and encouragement from my wife Delnaz Dalal, my friends and others who thought I could or should at least try my hand at modeling.” He also acknowledged the support of his parents Mahrukh and Rohinton, and elder sister Navaz.
During the last two years when he has been residing in Abu Dhabi, Khushrav has been working for NMC Healthcare in their Corporate Finance Division, looking after their revenue collections for Dubai region. In the preceding 10 years, he has gained work experience at RBS, Bank of America, Citibank and Lodha. "I have a dynamic hold in the field of investment banking, custody operations and different domains of banking and finance… I am extremely good in customer service… I love the challenges when it comes to customer retentionship,” he was quoted on Linked In. An alumnus of Byramjee Jeejeebhoy Parsi Charitable Institution and H. R. College in Bombay, he has completed his masters in business management. "I shall continue to work and try and grow as much as I can in my corporate career.” If a modeling assignment comes his way, he would accept it but he does not propose to "sacrifice my career till anything is concrete.”
Feeling "blessed and proud” to be born into the Zoroastrian religion, he says he is "sad and hurt” when the community is involved in controversies. "Even though we are small in numbers, our young talents have a lot of potential to make an impression,” says the optimist.