Hyderabad: Pranathy Gangaraju, Miss India USA 2014, nurses ambitions of becoming a film star in India as well as the United States. Here are excerpts from the interview:

Q Tell us about your education and future plans?
I am studying at The Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute in Los Angeles, CA. My goals are to get into the film industry and be part of Indian/American films. At the same time, I would like to do charity work for social causes.

Q How are you working towards being an actor?
Acting has always been my passion. When I was a kid, I wanted to be everything, instead of choosing one career. I realised this can only happen in acting, because every character has a life and they have goals.

QHow tough was the contest and how did you prepare?
I loved every minute of the contest. I made amazing friends and learnt so much. I loved the contest mainly because I was able to represent myself and it’s really important in a pageant to embrace everything you have got and be confident about it. Earlier, I participated in ILINK Miss India GA 2013 and 2014 and was also a contestant in last year’s Miss India USA 2013. I won two superlatives in my local pageant; Miss Prettiest Eyes 2013 and Miss Congeniality 2013. I was also the first runner-up in the 2014 ILINK Miss India GA pageant 2014.

Q Tell us about your family and their support?
My parents have been really supportive. My father is a businessman/software engineer, and my mother is a housewife. I have one brother.

QWhat message do you want to send out, particularly to your motherland?
I am glad that Indians are winning mainstream beauty contests for it really sends a powerful message about the Indian community and our culture. In the US, the culture is different and modern and it clashes with our Indian culture. I believe that beauty contests are not only about external beauty but internal beauty as well. As Indians, our culture is what keeps us humble.