Ayushi Chhabra sets her sights on Hollywood.
Queen of bling Ayushi Chhabra sparkles as brightly as her costume jewellery when the camera is on her.
Chhabra, 23, an entertainment presenter and newsreader on African News Network 7, may still be green in the world of journalism, but she hopes to be the next Giuliana Rancic, co-anchor of the US entertainment news programme E! News.
The fresh-faced Chhabra also wants to take Hollywood by storm with her exotic good looks. At her home in Edenvale — which she shares with her parents, Ritu and Vinod, and younger brother Akie —she is down to earth and welcoming. Dressed in a simple cream dress, Chhabra looked comfortable and cool as she was enjoying her day off. The modern double-storey house has a small garden entrance that leads to the front door.
As she opened the door, the sunlight poured in — this was something Chhabra said attracted her to the house when she first saw it. "It's always bright and beautiful in this house — it makes it all the more homely. We've been living here for just over a year and previously lived in Bedfordview. South Africa's been our home for nine years now. "I was born in Ghaziabad near New Delhi. My father is an engineer and his job is the reason we have travelled so much. "I was two years old when he got a job in Nigeria.
We lived there for eight years and then moved to Chennai for three years and finally settled in South Africa," said Chhabra. Of all the homes she has lived in, the one in Edenvale is her favourite. When she does get time to spend at home, she giggles with her parents as they chat with family on social networking sites and reminisce over old family photographs. The garden, she said, is her favourite spot and she enjoys doing yoga there with her mother.
The mandir (temple) in their home is very special to her and she said she always started her day with a prayer. Trinkets from family holidays are displayed around the house — a memorable trip to Egypt a few years ago stands out as one of their favourites. Chhabra said that ever since she was a little girl she had loved collecting costume jewellery and over the years had accumulated more jewellery than she would ever be able to wear in her lifetime.
She holds an honours degree in journalism from Rhodes University and studied acting at the New York Film Academy in Los Angeles last year. In 2009, she won the Miss India Gauteng title, which elevated her public profile — and it was then that she decided to be a performing artist. "I never saw myself as a beautiful person — growing up, I loved food and I was a chubby little girl.
I entered a local beauty pageant in India and won Miss Beautiful. "This helped to boost my confidence and in 2011 I entered the Miss India pageant in India. However, I was rejected because I was 'too fat'. "I sank into depression —I was a size 12 and went on a diet, and in one year I dropped to a size six," said Chhabra.
In South Africa, Chhabra has had the opportunity to turn her dreams into reality and she counts her move to the country as her greatest blessing. iI never saw myself as a beautiful person — growing up, - I loved food and I was a chubby little girl.
Caption: FOND MEMORIES: Chhabra and her mother, Ritu, page through a family photo album. Pictures by: KATHERINE MUICK-MER
By Doreen Premdev
Article Source: SUNDAY TIMES