Roma Michael reflects on facing International Pageants with 'Zero Support'
Pakistani actress and model Roma Michael has candidly spoken about the challenges she faced while representing Pakistan at international beauty pageants, revealing that she received "zero support" from her home country and had to manage every aspect of her journey on her own.
During her latest appearance on the podcast ‘Excuse Me with Ahmad Ali Butt’, Roma reflected on her experience, describing how difficult it was to compete against contestants who were backed by their respective countries.
When asked whether she received any support from Pakistan, Roma replied without hesitation:
"To be honest, there was absolutely no support from Pakistan zero support."
Host Ahmad Ali Butt then asked what her experience was like once she arrived at the competition.
Roma explained that the lack of institutional backing made the journey particularly challenging.
"I faced a lot of difficulties because I was travelling independently and managing everything myself from my wardrobe to my travel arrangements. The other contestants had complete teams with them. They had support from their countries, voting campaigns, sponsors, and everything else. I had none of that, so it was definitely difficult. But overall, it was a great experience."
The conversation then shifted to whether participating in beauty pageants had benefited her career, particularly in Pakistan.
Responding to the question, Roma said she does not believe beauty pageants significantly help within the local entertainment industry because the concept is still not widely accepted.
"I don't think so because Pakistan doesn't really have a pageant culture, and not many girls have participated in such competitions. In that sense, it doesn't help much. However, after Erica and I took part, we went viral, and that brought us a lot of work."
She further shared that while pageants increased her visibility, they did not necessarily make it easier to build a career in acting or modelling due to societal perceptions.
"I don't think it helps in acting or modelling because our audience still doesn't like seeing actresses in a modern image. There isn't much acceptance for that. Even today, people tell me my Instagram is very modern or rather, 'bold.' But I think it's completely normal because I travel a lot. If you compare my Instagram with those of international models, there's really no comparison."
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Roma's remarks sparked mixed reactions online. While many admired her honesty and resilience, others debated her views on beauty pageants and modern fashion.
One social media user commented, "Ah... my all support with you. Go for Miss Universe."
Another wrote, "She's extremely gorgeous."
A third remarked, "Please stop promoting Western culture and avoid normalising such unethical dressing."
Another admirer praised her, calling her a "positive personality."
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Roma Michael is one of Pakistan's prominent fashion models who has gradually expanded her career into acting. She has represented Pakistan at international beauty pageants and has become known for confidently embracing modern fashion while advocating for broader representation of Pakistani women on global platforms.