Aishwarya Rai vs Sushmita Sen: Miss India 1994 Backstage Drama, Tears & Ultimate Showdown | Screen

Beyond their celebrated film careers, actor Aishwarya Rai and Sushmita Sen brought international acclaim to India through the world's most prestigious beauty pageants. While Sushmita made history as the first Indian to win the Miss Universe crown, Aishwarya went on to claim the Miss World title in 1994. However, ad filmmaker Prahlad Kakkar recently revealed the behind-the-scenes of the Miss India pageant. Tensions ran high and Sushmita was left in tears during the competition. While speaking to ANI, ad filmmaker Prahlad Kakkar shared his behind-the-scenes experience of Miss India 1994. Having escorted Aishwarya Rai for the competition, he recalled finding himself consoling her rival Sushmita Sen, who was weeping copiously in a corner, convinced that Aishwarya would win. Talking about the rivalry between the two models, Prahlad said, Halfway through the competition, I found Sushmita weeping copiously in one corner. Even though I was from the opposing camp, I went up to her and asked her, what's the problem? She said, it's all fixed. It's all rigged. We don't know what we're doing here. He shared how he convinced an inconsolable Sushmita. She told me, Aishwarya is so big and she's going to be a bigger model. We're just beginners. They have obviously decided that she's going to be Miss India. And we're all here just for the crumbs. Recalling the final stage of the competition, Prahlad Kakkar revealed that the judges had introduced an extra round as they struggled to decide between the two contestants. He said, Sushmita ultimately won the pageant, thanks to her composure during this decisive round. He said, 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 decide between the two. Due to her convent education, Sushmita's answer was far more confident than Aishwarya's. She won in that last round. Sushmita Sen's poise and confidence earned her the Miss India crown in 1994. And even today, decades later, she continues to be celebrated for that grace and elegance, standing tall as one of India's most iconic beauty queens alongside contemporaries like Aishwarya Rai. I remember there were so many times that, you know, he would just turn back and he'd look at me and I was like, Agnipat? If you could legalize one thing in India, what would it be? Prostitution, gambling or marijuana? I can't hear you. We have seen you as more of a glamoral role in South Indian movies. And you went to Bombay, I don't know what transformed you. You're today, totally different. Feel nepotism or no nepotism, I'm here. You know, it's not someone's father's industry. I love reading your reviews. When you really love something, you genuinely have, you know, and that means a lot. But that's the whole thing, you guys don't give up in life. I wish you all the very best. May screen digitally prosper.