IT'S a beauty pageant to showcase the best of Indian women in Singapore.

But things started going wrong when 11 of the contestants, who got through the first auditions, dropped out at various stages of, allegedly giving little notice to the organiser.

They allegedly also provided flimsy excuses.

The organiser, Ms Sashi Maala, 40, is now taking legal action against those contestants for allegedly backing out of their agreement when they signed up for the Miss India Singapore 2007 pageant.

The contest has been running here for the last 17 years.

Her lawyer, Mr Alfred Dodwell, sent out letters of demand to the contestants about two weeks ago.

So far, one - who withdrew because she was ill - is settling the matter.

Another has also offered to do so.

Speaking to The New Paper at her lawyer's office, Ms Sashi was visibly dismayed by the girls' alleged lack of consideration.

She said about 40 girls signed up during auditions in October, and 24 were short-listed for the next stage. This was when they signed the contract with the pageant organiser.

The contract states that the girls were to attend all the rehearsals and the rounds, among other conditions.

She said the contestants were placed in three groups of eight for their quarter-final 'walks'.

She spent time choreographing their steps and training them to carry themselves.

From their walks, five in each group were chosen for the semi-finals, and the best 10 for the finals.

Those not chosen for the semi-finals took part in a 'wildcard' round, with the winner securing a place in finals.

An event was held for every round, for which tickets were sold. The winner will represent Singapore in South Africa in February next year in the Miss India Worldwide contest.

She will also win $2,000 as well as $1,500 worth of vouchers.

Ms Sashi explained that the organiser makes money through ticket sales.

The girls would also help sell some tickets that were customised to feature the contestants' faces, she added.

She said the girls were interested in her training and she thought all was well. Then, out of the blue, came an SMS just three days before the first quarter-final in early November.

Ms Sashi said: 'One girl sent me an SMS, saying that she's dropping out.'

About two weeks later, four girls wanted to pull out at the same time. The girls alleged that they had to pay for their makeup and costumes.

But Ms Sashi claimed she had told them they could do their own makeup if they chose to.

They paid $40 for the services of the makeup artiste. The market rate, said Ms Sashi, is $180.

When The New Paper contacted one of these girls, an 18-year-old polytechnic student, she said: 'I was falling sick a lot and I could not commit to it so I withdrew. I've apologised to Ms Sashi for causing her any inconvenience.'

But Ms Sashi said she had not apologised.

Another girl apparently claimed she could no longer participate as her parents had forbidden her after finding out about her involvement.

Another simply did not show up for the rehearsals before her round.

Yet another limped in to see her and said she had hurt her leg.

But Ms Sashi claimed she saw her playing pool at the club where rehearsals were being held.

When The New Paper contacted the 24-year-old private school undergraduate, she said that she had injured her leg and could not walk on high heels.

Ms Sashi said she had spent a lot of time and effort, and also had to answer to the judges, the sponsors and those who had bought tickets.

Still, she has been putting on a brave face.

Of the final tonight at the Blackjack club at Shenton Way, she said: 'The 10 finalists are great and over 120 tickets have been sold. The show must go on.'