This article was originally featured in Atelier Magazine. 

Tanisha Mohan is at her charismatic best playing the perfect mother, wife and fashionista. She talks to Priyanka Chakrabarti about her journey, from being an air-hostess to a popular face on the ramps, to motherhood, marriage and fashion. Photographs by Vivek Mahajan.

She is the life of all parties in the Delhi circuit, a fixture in the Indian fashion industry, and a popular face on runways. Nonetheless, there is much more to Tanisha Mohan beyond her beauty and the limelight she invariably attracts. she is also a woman of substance, a mother of three and a flawless homemaker. As she welcomes the Atelier team at her swanky Delhi home in Friends Colony, Tanisha comes across as warm, accommodating and, well, downright stunning. 

After graduating in English Literature from the prestigious Hindu College in Delhi University, Tanisha enrolled for a master’s degree from St. Stephens. College days were sheer fun for her. “I spent so much time at the Stephens’ cafeteria. I met new people, made some great friends, had my first heartbreak and got exposed to a career I always dreamt of,” she smiles nostalgically. This was also the time when she was crowned Miss Delhi and was invited to Mumbai for the Miss India contest. “But my dad hadn’t let me go then, so I had to drop my title. That was the time when I was spotted by Komal GB Singh. Eventually ramps came my way.”

Talking about her childhood and college days, Tanisha shares, “I had a very protective childhood. Mom was strict, but dad was relatively easy. I was a complete rebel. I was also overweight and was obsessed about losing kilos. I weighed eighty-six kilos in eleventh grade. At that time, I went on an absolute crash diet: Ate burnt toast for dinner and a bowl of dal for breakfast. It’s no wonder that I lost thirty-two kilos in a year’s time. But this crazy routine took a toll on my health and skin,” she rues.

One day Tanisha saw an advertisement for British Airways inviting applications for aspiring airhostesses. “It was like a fantasy to me. After a lot of convincing back home, I gave it a shot and was selected. Within no time, I was sent to London for training. London was fun; we used to study throughout the week and explore the city on weekends with fifty pounds to splurge. But there was a condition to the fun and freedom. I had an agreement with my dad that I would quit the job after six months. However, my dream career ended on an abrupt note: the day I returned to India, my dad passed away. It was perhaps the deepest shock I have ever been through. In no time, I was transformed from being a carefree, lively twenty-year-old to the breadwinner of the family,” says Tanisha.

The episode drastically altered several patterns of her life. It was during this phase that she explored different layers of her personality: “I never knew I could be such a tough person. I became stronger after those heart-numbing experiences.” Tanisha then went on to pursue a career in banking in Dubai and stayed there for a while and pushed off to Doha as she got an offer from Qatar Airways for recruiting air hostesses across the globe.

Then, thirteen years ago, Tanisha married businessman Robby Mohan. Before tying the knot, they had dated each other on and off for six years. “I had broken off with him before going to the Middle East. Then on November 16, 1998, I came back to India. He proposed to me the next day, and I said yes. It sounds a little filmy, but we got married the same day and it has been thirteen blissful years of togetherness since then,” she smiles.

Ask her about her most prized possession and pat comes the answer: “My three children! Aalia, Amani and Ruvir are my angels. Aalia is the eldest one, she wants to be me; she dreams of walking the red carpet, being a super model and is quite a drama queen. Amani is just her opposite; she is a tomboy, absolutely non-fussy and is into sports. And my baby boy, Ruvir, is a blessing in disguise. I was pregnant with him exactly after two weeks of my mother’s demise. His presence has helped me become more stable in life.”

Despite home duties, Tanisha nevertheless found time to indulge in her true calling – fashion. She has walked the ramp for many renowned designers like Tarun Tahiliani, Falguni and Shane Peacock, Anjali Arjun and others. For her, the best part about modeling is that “It is fun and it’s all about my own whims and fancies. I like the fast-paced life. Changes thrill me; fashion is never monotonous, it keeps changing every three months. I love what I do, I love every bit of modeling!” smiles Tanisha. 

And indeed, the lady has an impeccable fashion sense. Her personal style, she says, is “glamorous and structured.” 

“I never wear loose clothes, I always prefer well-fitted sexy attires. I love the fashion sense of Audrey Hepburn; she is an emblem of timeless, classic beauty. My dress sense in also influenced by Jacqueline Kennedy, Lady Diana, Victoria Beckham and Charlize Theron.”

Despite the excesses of her youth, Tanisha now stands tall and weighs fifty-six kilos. Her fitness regime involves forty minutes on the treadmill three times a week, and kickboxing twice a week. “I am not into any sort of dieting. I eat everything, right from butter chicken to paranthas!”

She is also, understandably, quite a shopaholic and loves picking up stuff from all around the world. “I just love shopping in France. Recently, I discovered this amazing shopping destination in St Tropez, south of France, where you get exclusive accessories. When it comes to buying jewelry, I always prefer bold pieces; for instance I would love to flaunt a big owl, or panther neckpiece rather than a subtle one. When it comes to clothes, I love wearing panther and leopard prints.”

Ask her about her favorite brand and she promptly replies, “For fashion, it is Roberto Cavalli and Dolce & Gabbana. And when it comes to beauty, I always prefer M.A.C or Laura Mercier products.” 

Apart from being a model and an airhostess, Tanisha admits toying with an alternative career option as well. “I wanted to be a singer,” she says; as she hums a couple of lines of ‘Do Labzo Ki Hai, Dil Ki Kahani…’” Perhaps this diva may surprise us all with a new album one day?