In conversation with Adline Castelino, Miss Diva Univers 2020

India as a country loves cricket and Bollywood. A spirit of unity and pride is instilled when Indian teams and individuals perform on international platforms. Although I am not a cricket fan, I remember watching the Miss Universe and Miss World competitions religiously with my mom. Every time India reached the next round, I literally got goosebumps with a sense of pride. I had to wait a good twenty years since the victories of Sushmita Sen and Lara Dutta to feel this again! However, Adline Castelino made it worth the wait. Representing the country in the Miss Universe pageant, she made the country proud by winning the third runner-up title. We spoke with Miss Diva Universe 2020 Adline to give you some insight into her experience, learning, and future plans.

IT : . You made history by breaking the 20 years of non-placement of India in the top 5 candidates of Miss Universe. What did you do differently?

Adline Castelino (AC): Thank you so much. I still can’t believe it! I think the credit goes to a lot of people behind the scenes, from my team to my predecessors who guided me. Preparation and self-confidence are the keys to achieving anything you want.

ELLE: How different was your preparation and your experience at Miss Universe from Miss Diva?

CA: For Miss Diva, it was a one-person army. Everything from styling to strategy was done by me, and it worked. But for a big scene like Miss Universe, I had to work with a dynamic team aligning my visions with theirs and strategizing to get there. The path to Miss Universe has been more invested in terms of who is involved and the time taken to achieve even the smallest of goals.

ELLE: What were the challenges that you encountered in these unprecedented times during which the competition was organized? How did you overcome them?

CA: Being extremely honest, at first it felt like a splash of cold water with all the plans abandoned. However, I am grateful for how unique this experience was and how unique the humanity and understanding it brought to my journey has been. I juggled online sessions, setting things up, lots of delays, and even weeks of COVID contract before flying for the competition. I had my last dress repaired within hours as I had to leave the country in a hurry due to the theft ban the next day. A magnificent adventure indeed!

ELLE: Has participating in the pageantry always been your dream? What motivated you to enter contests and find your way into the industry?

CA: It was never the dream for sure! I have always admired young women and the strength they embodied and I never saw myself as someone who would have that chance as a young Kuwaiti girl new to this city of dreams. I always want to be approachable, so I usually talk about my journey to inspire girls to believe they are deserving and capable.

ELLE: Growing up, who were your role models, and how did they influence you?

CA: I have always admired Indira Gandhi and Princess Diana. I believe I embodied the visionary and leadership qualities of the first, as well as the politeness and grace of the second.

HER: You support many social causes, but uplifting farmers and raising awareness / acceptance of the LGBTQIA + community is very important to you. Tell us a bit about that.

CA: I come from a farming community, and the only memories I have of my beloved grandparents are of them working hard in the fields. After hearing about farmer suicides, how can I have the heart to turn away from the problem ?! I work intensely with them. With the LGBTQIA + community, all that is missing is the desire of people to be more aware and tolerant of them. I think government can play a huge role here.

HER: Your look imagined by Falguni and Shane Peacock stood out in the evening dress competition. Were you creatively involved in the making? If so, on what points did you insist?

CA: I am truly grateful to the fashion power couple Falguni and Shane Peacock for not only gifting me with such a memorable dress, but also during lockdown when everything was closed. We worked as a team to turn the vision into reality. I have always imagined a gold and white dress.

ELLE: What was the meaning of the sari you wore?

CA: We wanted to pay tribute to the simple yet sophisticated Indian woman who is the queen of her home and her life, especially during the pandemic. The sari corresponded to the decoration of dignity and grace of women and trans women in India.

ELLE: What was the experience like interacting with other Miss Universe participants?

CA: Lifestyle change! Meeting incredibly diverse and accomplished women from all over the world really made me realize the importance of supporting each other as women and paving the way for the younger generation.

ELLE: What do you think are the most important qualities that a real Miss Universe should have?

CA: The beautiful thing about this platform is that various women from different parts of the world have held this coveted title. Personally, I don’t believe in putting women in boxes, but one thing I’m sure of is to always be visionary and have goals no matter where you are in life. .

ELLE: What is your advice / message to young girls around the world who want to be part of Miss Universe?

CA: To build trust and empower not only families but corporations and governments. We have no time to waste, but we are paving the way for future generations of women, to give them a chance to build a tolerant and environmentally friendly nation.

ELLE: What are your future plans / projects?

CA: There are a lot of them, but let’s start with the future ones. I want to do difficult roles in movies, previously reserved for men, whether it’s to play an angry young woman or a negative character, probably gray. I was also very interested in starting an agricultural business in the near future.

ELLE: Tell us about your downtime? . What song, book, and movie do you like?

CA: ‘I will survive’ by Diana Ross is my favorite. I just finished reading the Autobiography of a Yogi offered by a dear friend. Trust me when I say this has transformed my life, and I encourage everyone to let this book shed some light on them. i love watching the movie Swades again.