"Modelling there is very different. In Europe it's standard for models to run around, to go to castings all day," she says, stressing that models here aren't even familiar with the idea of casting and auditions, while those there would be unemployed without it.

"Modelling is hard work, but here people tend to enter the industry with too much emphasis on glamour. And the funny thing is that while they try to be glamorous, they end up being too busy to take care of basics, like their skin and their face."

Friends with established names like Madhu Sapre, Mehr Jessia and Sheetal Mallar "who know what they're doing," Moni is concerned that most current Indian models just aren't serious enough about the profession.

"It's not just the models. In Europe, if I'm hired for a fashion show, my work is for a few hours. An hour or two for fitting, a couple of hours for make-up, and then there's the show, which lasts about an hour. Here, the designers don't know what they're doing, and they spend a day or two on fittings -- and we aren't paid for that, just for the show. It's bizarre. When we try to imitate the fashion world in terms of cuts and textures, we should rather try and capture their way of working."

Moni sits back and takes a long deep breath when asked about anorexia. "I remember in Paris, I was a size 2, or maybe a size 1 for a while, but a lot of their clothes wouldn't fit me. They were into size 0s, which had to be altered to fit me."

She hasn't seen Oliviero Toscani's latest controversial campaign, but feels the media is given to exaggerate the issue. "Nobody starves themselves to be a model, at least not successfully. It's important to take care of yourself. Models that are doing well are aware of this. And supermodels like Cindy Crawford and Heidi Klum never tried to be skinny. Curves are important, and I have a natural figure."