Vartika, Pankhuri and I, all small town girls, have made it big: Lopamudra Raut in Lucknow

Miss United Continents 2016 second runner-up Lopa mudra Raut made her first visit to Lucknow last week. Having a different image of Lucknow in her mind, the Bigg Boss finalist was pleasantly surprised as she saw the city from the airport to her hotel in Lucknow.
“Before coming to Lucknow I had this impression that it would be a very small city .But surprisingly , when I saw the airport, it was huge and the city too is quite big. Lucknow is a very developed city , especially if we see the Gomti Nagar side of the city. Frankly speaking, I wasn't expecting so much from Lucknow,“ says Lopamudra, adding, “The curtain was closed when I entered my room. The moment I opened it, I got this magnificent view of the city where there was a garden with statues of elephants.Lucknow is a visual delight."
Comparing her hometown Nagpur to Lucknow, Lopamudra says, “Being from a small town, I thought Lucknow will be smaller than Nagpur. But see, Lucknow is far bigger than my city Nagpur. We are still developing.“
Ask her if her stint in the the reality show Bigg Boss has helped her in her career as a model and an actor and Lopa, as she is fondly called by her friends, says, “First the Miss India pageant and then the Bigg Boss stint together has done a lot for my career. I have come a long way . I have always believed that it doesn't matter where you come from, it only matters how far you go in life. And today when I look back, I feel I have come a long way . I am very happy and content in where I am today .“
Telling us about the kind of offers she is getting post Bigg Boss, she shared, “I have received a lot of offers for television shows and movies. For TV I am getting offers for reality TV and fiction, both. But then I don't want to sign up something in haste. I want to do something really good and big now. Even if my film doesn't have a superstar, the story has to have great content and the character given to me should be powerful. Though I am getting many TV offers, I don't think I am cut out for the small screen. I don't think I can do a typical saas-bahu saga. I won't mind doing a good web series. I have also been getting offers for characters which are very strong and powerful going by my onscreen image formed on the reality show. Like for example, I got an offer for a TV serial based on a warrior princess.“
Coming to Lucknow, Lopamudra was reminded of the two beauty queens and Miss Indias from Lucknow ­ Pankhuri Gidwani and Vartika Singh. “I am in touch with Vartika and Pankhuri. We are friends and we are very well known to each other. Vartika and Pankhuri have often said they are from a small town Lucknow, but I am also from just as small a place. But I don't think a small town or big town decides an individual's limits. I think all three of us take pride in where we come from. Vartika, Pankhuri and I are examples of how far small town girls can go. I believe that town chhota ho sakta hai, soch chhoti nahi hone chaiye wahan rehne walon ki.“