Sushmita Sen (born 19 November 1975) is an Indian film actress, model and beauty pageant title holder. She was crowned Miss Universe 1994[3] by outgoing title holder Dayanara Torres of Puerto Rico at the 43rd edition of the Miss Universe Pageant on 20 May 1994. She was the first Indian to win the crown.
After completing her reign, Sen went on to pursue Bollywood. She started her career with the Hindi film, Dastak. She rose to stardom with the Tamil musical Ratchagan opposite Nagarjuna; later, she attained commercial and critical recognition for her roles in Sirf Tum (1999) and the comedy Biwi No.1 (1999). The latter earned her the Filmfare Best Supporting Actress Award. She has also acted in commercially successful films such as Aankhen (2002), Main Hoon Na (2004) - her biggest commercial success so far - and Maine Pyaar Kyun Kiya? (2005). She received critical acclaim for her female-oriented roles in films such as Filhaal... (2002), Samay: When Time Strikes (2003), Chingaari (2005), Zindaggi Rocks (2006), Aag (2007) and others.
Sushmita plays the role of a successful supermodel called Shimmer in Dulha Mil Gaya, the film was a major commercial failure that year. Sushmita has signed three big projects, one of which reportedly has her portraying the slain Pakistan Peoples Party leader Benazir Bhutto in a film co-produced by Zaid Aziz and Henna Rai of the Karachi production company Vox Vision, and Leicester-based Sum Films. Tentatively titled Benazir Bhutto: The Movie, the film will be shot in locations in Pakistan, the US, Britain and Dubai, where Bhutto spent years as a student and later as a political leader in exile. When Sushmita was asked about this big opportunity, she excitedly said, “Yes, I am keen to play the role.” The second is Farah Khan's untitled venture opposite Salman Khan, with the third one being veteran actress Rekhha's biopic titled "Sitare" under the banner of Red Chillies Entertainment.
She received critical acclaim and box office success for film Aankhen. So far, her biggest hit has been the 2004 movie Main Hoon Na, in which she starred as Shahrukh Khan's love interest. The film grossed a total of Rs 330,000,000 and was the second best selling movie of that year. Later, Sushmita played a lawyer in Main Aisa Hi Hoon opposite Ajay Devgan. In 2005, she also starred in a remake of Cactus Flower, called Maine Pyaar Kyun Kiya?: Sen played the lead opposite Salman Khan and Katrina Kaif
After her reign as Miss Universe, Sushmita became an actress. Her first film, Dastak was in 1996, in which she played the victim of a stalker played by Sharad Kapoor. Mukul Dev starred as the lead actor. She then starred in the 1997 Tamil, action film Ratchagan. Two years later her appearance as Rupali in David Dhawan's movie Biwi No.1 won her the Filmfare Best Supporting Actress Award in 1999. Biwi No.1 was the second highest grossing movie of 1999. The same year, she was also nominated for her role in Sirf Tum in the same category, making her an obvious choice for winner. Following her famous dance item song in Fiza known as 'Mehboob Mere', she tried to make a niche for her career in the Indian film cinema.
In 1994, as a teenager, Sen won the title of Femina Miss India. Sen then represented India at the 1994 Miss Universe Pageant, held in Manila, Philippines and won there. At Miss Universe, Sen ranked third overall in the preliminaries, right behind preliminary winner Miss Colombia Carolina Gómez, and Miss Greece Rea Totounzi, who ranked second but won the preliminary swimsuit and evening gown competitions.
Sen went on to place second, fifth and third in the swimsuit, interview, and evening gown semi-final competitions respectively, placing third place behind Miss Colombia Carolina Gomez and Miss Venezuela Minorka Mercado. All three women went on to be the final three contestants. They had one common question; i.e., "What is the essence of being a woman"? She answered "Being a woman by itself is a gift of God which all of us must appreciate.
The origin of a child is a mother and is a woman and the woman is the one who shares and shows a man what love, caring, and sharing is all about. That's the essence of a woman." In the end, the judges placed their votes on Sen, making her the first woman from India to become Miss Universe. She owns the rights to send delegates from India to the Miss Universe pageant from 2010 onwards through her project I Am She – Miss Universe India.
Often known as the most stylish and glamorous lady of India, Sushmita Sen made history by adopting a baby girl named Renéein 2000. She, as a single woman of only 25 years of age, was not viewed as socially acceptable to obtain the guardianship of the baby. However, the High Court of Bombay quashed the appeal and she obtained gain of cause. On 13 Jan, 2010 she adopted a three-month-old girl and named her Alisah.
Sen was born into a Bengali family in Hyderabad. Her parents are Shuber Sen, a former Indian Air Force Wing Commander, and Subhra Sen, a jewelry designer and owner of a Dubai-based store. She has two siblings, a sister named Neelam and a brother named Rajeev. She has attended Air Force Golden Jubilee Institute in New Delhi and St. Ann's High School in Secunderabad, but did not pursue higher education.
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