In a recent interview with ANI, veteran ad filmmaker Prahlad Kakkar recounted a moment during the 1994 Miss India pageant where Sushmita Sen was "weeping copiously" because she felt the competition was rigged in favor of Aishwarya Rai. Kakkar, who had accompanied Aishwarya to Goa with her mother for the competition, revealed he had access to the changing rooms, and witnessed the emotional turmoil firsthand.
Kakkar recalled finding Sushmita in tears, confiding that she believed Aishwarya, already an established model, was predetermined to win the Miss India crown. According to Sushmita, Aishwarya was a bigger model, and she felt that the other contestants were just there for the "crumbs".
Despite being from what Sushmita considered a "rival camp", Kakkar approached her and tried to reassure her about the fairness of the judging process. He encouraged her to have faith in the integrity of judges like Simone Tata, emphasizing that Tata "was never going to listen to the dictum of the organisers, and she was going to judge everyone fairly".
The 1994 Miss India pageant was a significant event, with both Sushmita Sen and Aishwarya Rai later achieving international recognition. Sushmita Sen made history by becoming the first Indian to win Miss Universe, while Aishwarya Rai was crowned Miss World the same year.
Kakkar also shed light on the circumstances that led to Sushmita Sen's victory. He explained that the competition was tough, and both women were stunning. However, Aishwarya "fell", and the judges added an extra question-and-answer round because they couldn't decide between the two. Kakkar noted that Sushmita's convent education gave her an edge, making her answer more confident and composed, ultimately securing her the win.
While Aishwarya Rai didn't win Miss India, she went on to win Miss World the same year and had a successful Bollywood career. Sushmita Sen also became a Bollywood star.
Kakkar also mentioned that Sushmita grew somewhat disenchanted with the film industry over time and became more guarded. He noted her mistrust of the industry, believing it to be exploitative.
