Bollywood’s monopoly of the annual poll conducted by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) to find the “Hottest Vegetarian Alive” was shattered last year when supermodel Yana Gupta beat 2002 winner Esha Deol, Aditi Govitrikar and others to capture the title in the women’s category. Yana, who posed as a mermaid in a stunning PETA ad that carried the tagline “Fish Are Friends, Not Food”, will have a chance to confirm her status this year, but stiff competition from Mahima Chaudhary (who also shot an ad for PETA), Mandira Bedi and Amrita Rao – not to mention Archana Puran Singh, Pooja Bedi, Hema Malini and dozens of other vegetarian hotties – promises to make this year’s contest the closest one ever.

Venerable Bollywood star Amitabh Bachchan, who, at 60, continues to rule the Indian film industry, has maintained an iron grip on the title of hottest male vegetarian for two years running. But this year, he will face such formidable opponents as hot new actor Shahid Kapoor, cricketer Anil Kumble, wealthy industrialist Anil Ambani, President Abdul Kalam (last year’s close runner-up) and a long list of new and former challengers, including newcomer Simpoo, the Channel [V] mascot who kicked the meat habit and is now a vegetarian!

More than 37,000 votes were cast in last year’s contest.

All of PETA’s nominees are super-hot, exuding vegetarian vitality. They get their zest from aubergines and their passion from potatoes. More and more celebrities want to avoid supporting the suffering inflicted on the billions of animals who are raised and killed for food each year – and they also know that vegetarians are typically healthier than meat-eaters. Consumption of meat and other animal products has been conclusively linked to heart disease, strokes, diabetes and cancer, as well as infection by salmonella and other bacteria. Vegetarians are also hotter: On average, vegetarians are thinner and trimmer than meat-eaters and less prone to impotence (the cholesterol and saturated fats in animal-derived protein clog arteries leading to all major organs, not just the heart). It is no secret: Millions of vegetarians who embrace nutritious animal-free fare are vibrant, energetic and bursting with good health.

“Going green is all the rage among the red-carpet set, as celebrities from Bollywood to Hollywood are now embracing peas and giving mutton kebabs the boot”, says PETA India Chief Functionary Anuradha Sawhney. “By choosing slimming spinach over fatty chicken meat, vegetarians glow with smooth skin and a healthy smile.”

NOMINEES FOR THE 2004 HOTTEST VEGETARIAN ALIVE

WOMEN

Aditi Govitrikar (actor)
Alicia Silverstone (actor)
Amala Akkineni (actor)
Amrita Rao (actor)
Annie Lennox (musician)
Archana Puran Singh (actor)
Ashley Judd (actor)
Avanti Birla (interior designer)
Avril Lavigne (musician)
Brigitte Bardot (actor)
Chelsea Clinton (former first daughter)
Daryl Hannah (actor)
Erykah Badu (musician)
Esha Deol (actor)
Hema Malini (actor)
Juhi Chawla (actor)
Kim Bassinger (actor)
Lauren Bush (model)
Mahima Chaudhary (actor)
Mandira Bedi (actor)
Manpreet Brar (model)
Mel C (musician)
Natalie Imbruglia (musician)
Natalie Portman (actor)
Pamela Anderson (actor)
Priya Gill (actor)
Rajlaxmi Khanvilkar (model)
Ruby Bhatia (VJ)
Shania Twain (musician)
Shonali Nagrani (model)
Simone Singh (actor)
Stella McCartney (fashion designer)
Toni Collette (actor)
Victoria Beckham (musician)
Yana Gupta (model)

MEN

Abdul Kalam (president of India)
Alec Baldwin (actor)
Amar Deb (Channel [V] head)
Amitabh Bachchan (actor)
Anil Ambani (industrialist)
Anil Kumble (athlete)
Boy George (musician)
Bryan Adams (musician)
Carl Lewis (athlete)
Casey Affleck (actor)
David Duchovny (actor)
Dev Anand (actor)
Feroze Varun Gandhi (politician)
Greg Chappell (athlete)
Harsha Bhogle (cricket commentator)
Hemant Trevedi (designer)
Jatin Kampani (photographer)
Joaquin Phoenix (actor)
Josh Hartnett (actor)
Luke Kenny (VJ)
Mahesh Bhatt (director)
Milind Soman (actor)
Moby (musician)
Orlando Bloom (actor)
Pierce Brosnan (actor)
Rajneesh Duggal (model)
R Madhavan (actor)
Shahid Kapoor (actor)
Simpoo (“professor”)
Sir Paul McCartney (musician)
Toby Maguire (actor)
“Weird Al” Yankovic (musician)
Yash Birla (industrialist)

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