Meet Tamanna Katoch: The Model who went viral for outshining Janhvi Kapoor at Lakme Fashion Week 2025

Meet the model who has taken the social media by the storm for her head turning walk at Lakme Fashion Week 2025

For years, the Indian entertainment and fashion worlds have been criticized for rewarding last names instead of effort, and celebrity appeal instead of merit. Whether Bollywood or the catwalk, it‘s usually the celebrities who are born into stardom who get the spotlight, while hundreds of others—just as, if not more, talented—stay behind the scenes. But occasionally, something happens that reminds us why the limelight should be reserved for those who deserve it.

Tamanna stole the Lakme Fashion Week 2025.

Everyone’s eyes were set on Janhvi Kapoor, showstopper and industry favorite, famous more for her family tree than her catwalk prowess. But when she strutted the ramp on March 29, it was the model behind her who made news—Tamanna Katoch. With her aggressive stride, striking beauty, and unmistakable presence, Tamanna didn‘t merely strut down the ramp—she dominated it. Social media went into meltdown, not in praise of Janhvi, but in wonder at the woman who walked behind her and stole the show.

Tamanna Katoch, a model based in New Delhi, is no newcomer to the fashion world, but until now, she hadn’t been a household name. A former student of Queen Mary’s School in Tis Hazari, she graduated in 2018 with a degree in Journalism and Mass Communication from Lingaya’s Lalita Devi Institute of Management & Sciences. Far from the glitz of film families, Tamanna built her career the traditional way—auditions, ad campaigns, and countless runway shows.

Her portfolio includes walking for top fashion houses like Manish Malhotra, Falguni Shane Peacock, Ankita Jain, and Sulakshna Monga. She has been a part of significant ad campaigns for mobile and fashion brands and is a quiet yet consistent force in the modeling scene.

Even though she’s accomplished so much, she‘s maintained a low-profile public image. Her Instagram profile simply says, “Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication“—a quote that truly describes her. With more than 81.7K followers, her profile is a combination of subtle sophistication, behind-the-scenes looks, and strong fashion photos. She was also a participant in India‘s Next Top Model Season 4, where she was noted for her versatility and poise.

But it was her viral Lakme Fashion Week moment that changed everything. On April 1, Tamanna posted a video of her ramp walk on Instagram—and the internet went haywire. The comments came pouring in: “Let‘s pretend there was no Janhvi,” “Your walk was on fire!” and “Nobody saw Janhvi, we all saw you, girl.” Even actor Mrunal Thakur joined in, tweeting, “Wow, you killed it, T 🙂“

Tamanna Katoch‘s tale isn‘t one of just a viral moment. It‘s one of shattering the myth that only star kids can become stars. It‘s a lesson that genuine talent always gets its time. And in that time—on a starry runway before fashion’s who’s who—Tamanna walked, no, she made history.