✍️By Special Correspondent
- ‘Shyam Sundar Co Jewellers’, in association with ‘Khukumoni Personal Care’, is presenting ‘Sharad Sundari 2021’ during the festive season this year.
- Sharad Sundari, as we all know, is a very popular and much awaited annual hunt for the face with the most festive look during Durga Puja, and this year it is on its 11th year run.
- In previous years, this festive face hunt was conducted at popular puja pandals, premium housing societies and premier college campuses; and from last year, because of Covid-19 restrictions, the search is entirely online.
- The number of hopeful contestants last year was a record breaking 15,500; and this year, going by initial response, it will surely beat that record.
‘Sharad Sundari 2021’ was announced at special press meet, held at Lake Club on 7th September, with a screening of last years finale and the presence of Reigning Tollywood Queen, Rituparna Sengupta, who has had a long and happy association with ‘Sharad Sundari’.
“I am delighted to be here and take great pleasure in being a part of this annoucement of ‘Sharad Sundari 2021′”, said Rituparna Sengupta, adding, “More so, because I have been associated with this annual festive face hunt for many years and – apart from crowning the winning faces – have seen the face hunt grow in size and scope over the years and introduce many new faces who have all gone on to establish themselves in the world of beauty, fashion and glamour”
“Sharad Sundari made a big difference in my life because, after the win, people started looking at me with new eyes”, said Monisha Sen, a ‘Sharad Sundari’ title-winner, adding “the kind of assignments, coming my way, improved significantly; and, in the process, so did the quality of my life and work”.
“We came in last year and have had a very happy association as co-presenter of ‘Sharad Sundari 2020′”, said Aritra Roy Chowdhury, Director, Khukumoni Personal Care, “And we will surely continue to co-present ‘Sharad Sundari’ and, like last year, derive great joy in using some winning faces of the hunt for our brand that is all about ‘Celebrating Womanhood”
“Sharad Sundari started as a dream initiative to add a new dimension to all the celebration of the festive season and provide a platform for young girls with stars in their eyes”, said Rupak Saha, Director, Shyam Sundar Company Jewellers, “and, today, we are really happy to see that it has lived up to that promise and has grown into a very popular and much awaited annual hunt for the face with the most festive look during Durga Puja”.
Last year the preparations for ‘Sharad Sundari’ started with a challenge because of Covid-19 restrictions but we managed to convert that problem into an opportunity by reinventing the format and opening the flood gates of response by going online.
And this year, with a winning proposition, a tried and tested system in place and many new additions like the ‘Shrimati Sharad Sundari’ category for newly married women, we are taking ‘Sharad Sundari’ to the next level”, added Saha.
The face hunt process – including online enrolments, screening of promising faces, selection of finalists and grooming for the finale – will take two and a half months; and the grand finale is scheduled on 27th November 2021.
Contestants are required to visit sharadsundari.com and send their best sharadotsav festive look photograph for the initial screening; and the last date for enrolment is 30th October 2021.
Come, let us look forward to safely celebrate Durga Puja.
And watch this space for more news on the festive face of the year.