Sushmita Sen, who won the Miss Universe title in 1994, recently spoke about her time running the Miss India Universe franchise from 2010 to 2012.
This was smack in the middle of Donald Trump’s ownership of the Miss Universe Organisation, a detail that, as she tells it, made things.
When Sushmita Sen met Donald Trump
She explained, in an interview, that the offer to take over the franchise came out of nowhere. “The Miss Universe Organisation called me and asked if I wanted to take the franchise. I couldn’t believe it. It felt surreal,” she said.
But the excitement? Yes, it faded once she saw the contract. “I signed a pretty intense contract when I took on this franchise, and that was owned by Donald Trump, which didn’t make it easy or fun.”
To set the record straight, Sushmita made it clear that Trump wasn’t her direct boss. “Luckily, my actual bosses were Paramount Communications and Madison Square Garden, because they owned Miss Universe when I was an employee for that year. I was a franchise owner for Donald Trump, not his employee.”
Sure, she met Trump through the franchise, but she had no interest in talking about him at length. “The point is, it doesn’t matter,” she said.
When asked if Trump left any impression on her, she didn’t mince words: “There are some people who leave an impression not always because of their achievements or power, but because of the people they are. He is not one of them.”
How did Sushmita Sen meet Donald Trump?
In case you need a refresher: Donald Trump owned the Miss Universe Organisation from 1996 to 2015, long before he jumped into politics and eventually became President. But Sushmita’s story isn’t about him.
Back in 1994, Sushmita made history as the first Indian woman to win the Miss Universe title. That win didn’t just make headlines; it put her on the map for acting and modelling gigs. She’s stayed in the limelight ever since, respected and admired across the board.
After some time away from the spotlight, Sushmita came roaring back with roles in the series Aarya and the biopic Taali, where she played activist Shreegauri Sawant. Both performances drew serious praise, cementing her status as one of the few pageant winners who made it big in showbiz.
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