Sushmita Sen once broke down during Miss India 1994 believing Aishwarya Rai would win, reveals Prahlad Kakkar

Sushmita Sen

Renowned ad filmmaker Prahlad Kakkar has opened up about an emotional moment from the iconic Miss India 1994 pageant. He revealed that Sushmita Sen once broke down in tears backstage, convinced that the contest was “rigged” in favour of Aishwarya Rai.

In a recent interview with ANI, Prahlad Kakkar recalled the high-stakes competition that ultimately crowned two of India’s most celebrated beauty queens, Sushmita Sen and Aishwarya Rai, who went on to make the country proud on global platforms.

He described how, midway through the contest, he found Sushmita crying in a corner of the changing room. “One day, halfway through the competition, Sushmita was weeping copiously in one corner of the changing room. I walked up to her. Even though I was supposed to be from a rival camp, I walked up to her and asked her. She said, ‘No, it’s all fixed. It’s all rigged. We don’t know what we are doing here,’” Prahlad Kakkar shared.

Sushmita reportedly felt disheartened because Aishwarya was already a prominent model, and many believed she was destined to win. “When I asked her, she explained how Aishwarya was a bigger model and she would be named the winner,” he recalled.

Despite her doubts, Sushmita ultimately impressed the judges with her poise and confidence. Prahlad Kakkar revealed that the judges, including Simone Tata, known for her integrity, ensured a fair process. “It was a tough competition. Both of them were stunning. But Aishwarya fell. Finally, there was a question-and-answer round, which was an extra round because they couldn’t make up their minds. Sushmita’s answer was far more confident and composed than Aishwarya’s, and she won the last round,” he said.

Sushmita went on to win the Miss Universe 1994 title, while Aishwarya Rai became Miss World 1994.

Prahlad Kakkar also reflected on Sushmita’s later years in showbiz. “She got disenchanted with the industry and started becoming difficult to access. I don’t think she trusted them... she believed it was all exploitative,” he remarked.

After a successful film career with hits like Biwi No 1, Main Hoon Na, and Maine Pyaar Kyun Kiya, Sushmita made a powerful comeback in 2020 with Aarya. She was last seen in Taali in 2023 where she played Mumbai-based transgender activist Gauri Sawant.