MUMBAI: Miss India aspirants, draw inspiration from Pantaloons Femina Miss India World 2007 Sarah Jane Dias, who has signed a huge three-film deal with the Ritesh Sidhwani-Farhan Akhtar production house, Excel Entertainment, and is already shooting her first film opposite Abhishek Bachchan for them.

Mumbai is this 5’9” VJ-turned-actress’ city of dreams. She won the PFMI World title here. “I cannot forget the crowning moment. It took some time for it to sink in,” she recalled in a good luck message to the participants of PFMI 2010. That feeling was euphoric. “Just as my big break opposite Abhishek Bachchan is,” Sarah added, “how many newcomers would get that kind of break?”

But, of course, she credits the Miss India pageant’s team of experts for giving her the edge. “Most importantly, they instilled the confidence in me to take on life in an effortless and beautiful manner. And thanks to the pageant, I am ready to take this forward,” said Sarah, who came to Mumbai from Muscat when she was 21 and with no family around here to help her but just a set of close pals, made this city her home and working turf. She’s enjoying every moment of her work opposite Abhishek (Sarah plays his love interest in the film) for Ritesh and Farhan. “It’s like ticking off things on my bucket list. So, after the Miss India pageant, I’ve now ticked off the point which says a film with Abhishek Bachchan. I am sure there’s much more to follow. And soon, I want to be known as an actress who audiences can relate to,” revealed Sarah.

Said Ritesh about their new find, “Sarah’s name has good recall value for us because she is a former Miss India. And it’s perhaps the training she received during the pageant that made her so confident during the screen tests. We were truly happy to sign her in a three-film deal, which we haven’t done with a fresh face earlier.”

Meanwhile, Sarah is delighted with the new association of the Miss India pageant with Bollywood directors Madhur Bhandarkar and Vipul Amrutlal Shah. “It’s a welcome move,” said the former beauty queen, “A Miss India winner faces a gruelling training session during her pageant days, thus working on film sets for long hectic hours shouldn’t be difficult for her. But it’s talent alone that will help her succeed.”