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Updated May 21, 2026 · 09:40
Bollywood News Updated May 21, 2026

Sushmita Sen Celebrates 32 Years of Miss Universe Win with Gratitude

Sushmita Sen celebrated 32 years of her Miss Universe 1994 win with a grateful Instagram post. She thanked the Philippines, where she was crowned, and reflected on her enduring smile. The former beauty queen, now 50, has built a successful Bollywood career and is a mother of two adopted daughters. Sen is currently starring in the crime-thriller series Aarya 3, which earned an International Emmy nomination.

Sushmita Sen celebrates 32 years of Miss Universe win: Grateful for the smile that never left me

Mumbai, May 21

Celebrating 32 years of her historic Miss Universe win in 1994, Bollywood actress and former beauty queen Sushmita Sen on Thursday shared a note filled with gratitude and gave a special shoutout to the Philippines, where she was crowned.

Sushmita shared a picture of herself flaunting her iconic smile while she was in a bus going towards her aircraft.

She wrote on Instagram: "Grateful for the smile that never left me for 32 years & counting!!! This feeling of being blessed!! You are the reason!!! #happy32ndanniversary #India #missuniverse1994 Mahal kita #philippines Forever Cherished!! I love you guys beyond....#duggadugga Yours truly."

Sushmita was just 18 when she won the Miss India contest in 1994, which helped her earn the right to compete at the Miss Universe the same year. She had appeared as one of the judges of Miss Universe 2016.

After being crowned as the Miss Universe, Sushmita ventured into the Hindi cinema in 1996, with the thriller Dastak, in which she played the victim of a stalker, played by Sharad Kapoor. In 1998, she played a low-profile reporter opposite Sunny Deol in Zor.

The 50-year-old actress is the mother of two adopted daughters. At the age of 24, she adopted her first daughter, Renee Sen, in 2000, while her second daughter, Alisah, joined the family in 2010.

On the work front, Sushmita was last seen in Aarya 3, an Indian crime-thriller drama television series by Ram Madhvani. The show stars Sushmita Sen in the title role and is based on the Dutch drama series Penoza.

The series is about Aarya, an independent woman who seeks to protect her family and joins a mafia gang to get revenge for her husband's murder. Recently, the show has been nominated for the International Emmy Awards for best Drama series.

She has also worked in films such as Biwi No.1, Sirf Tum, Filhaal, Aankhen, Main Hoon Na, Maine Pyaar Kyun Kiya?, Aarya, and Taali, where she portrayed transgender activist Shreegauri Sawant in the miniseries, which was released in 2023.

— IANS

Reader Comments

Arjun K

Her journey from Miss Universe to adopting two daughters as a single mother is truly inspiring. She proved you don't need a 'perfect' family script to raise wonderful children. Renee and Alisah are lucky to have her. 🙌

Michael C

I remember watching her win in 1994! It was such a proud moment for India. She's aged like fine wine and still has that same radiant smile. Her work in Aarya has been outstanding too—nominated for an Emmy, no less!

Rohit P

32 years and still going strong! But honestly, I wish she'd do more films. She's got such screen presence. Biwi No.1 and Main Hoon Na were fun, but Aarya really showed her acting chops. More roles like that, please!

Sarah B

I love how she never forgot the Philippines! That's true gratitude. And her smile? Iconic. She's one of the few celebrities who seems genuinely grounded despite all the fame. Happy anniversary, Sush! ✨

Vikram M

While I admire her achievements, I can't help but feel a bit sad about her Bollywood career. She had such potential but didn't get the same opportunities as others. Still, she's built an incredible legacy on her own terms. Respect.

N We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.

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