In a candid recollection, ad film director Prahlad Kakkar shared a poignant moment from the 1994 Miss India pageant where Sushmita Sen was seen weeping intensely. According to Kakkar, Sushmita felt the competition was rigged, specifically in favor of Aishwarya Rai. He recounted approaching a distraught Sushmita in the changing room, who expressed her belief that the outcome was predetermined due to Aishwarya’s status as a bigger model.
Kakkar advised Sushmita to trust the process, mentioning the role of judge Simone Tata. He revealed that the competition was incredibly close, and the judges’ indecision led to an additional question-and-answer round. Sushmita ultimately clinched the title with a more confident and composed answer, narrowly defeating Aishwarya, who was the first runner-up.
The director also touched upon Sushmita’s subsequent feelings towards the film industry, suggesting she became somewhat disillusioned and harder to reach. He speculated that her westernized upbringing and a perceived mistrust of the industry’s exploitative nature contributed to her becoming more guarded. Sushmita Sen’s win at Miss India paved the way for her triumph at Miss Universe the same year, marking a significant moment in Indian beauty pageant history. Her acting career began with ‘Dastak’ (1996) and included numerous successful films, with a notable comeback in the series ‘Aarya’ in 2020.