Sushmita Sen, born on November 19, 1975, celebrates her birthday today. The Bollywood actress continues to inspire millions, years after her historic victories at Miss India and Miss Universe in 1994. The diva's unwavering dedication to self-improvement is evident in her pursuit of fitness, travel and motherhood. Her empowering journey serves as a constant reminder to strive for excellence and embrace life to the fullest. However, did you know that her Miss India winning gown was not a designer creation? Well, it was made from Delhi's Sarojini Nagar fabric by a local tailor, highlighting the power of simplicity and the talent of unsung artisans. Miss Universe Winners From India: From Sushmita Sen to Harnaaz Kaur Sandhu, a Look at Past Winners Ahead of 73rd Miss Universe.

Sushmita Sen's Miss India Gown Was Sewn by Local Tailor

During an interview with late actor Farooq Shaikh on NDTV's Jeena Isi Ka Naam Hai, Sen shared an inspiring anecdote about her Miss India journey. She revealed that she had got her Miss India winning gown sewn by a local tailor because she came from a middle-class family. "Itne paise nahi the ki hum designer kapde pehen ke stage par jaye. Char costumes chahiye the. Hum middle class ke log hai aur humko humari restrictiosn maloom thi (We didn't have enough money to afford designer outfits. We needed four costumes. We were middle-class people and we knew our restrictions)," she recounted. Sushmita Sen Wishes Her ‘First Love’ Renee Sen on 25th Birthday With Heartfelt Insta Post (Watch Video).

Old Video of Sushmita Sen Sharing Deets on Her Miss India Gown

 

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She then described how the dress was custom-made from scratch and said, "So we bought a piece of fabric from Sarojini Nagar market. Downstairs, in the garage, there was a local tailor who made petticoats. We gave him the material and said, This will come on TV, make a good dress. He made my winning gown out of that fabric and my mother made a rose out of the remaining fabric." ‘Shekhar Home’: Sushmita Sen’s Black-and-White Photo Featured in Hindi Adaptation of Sherlock Holmes.

Watch  Sushmita Sen's Crowning Moment at Miss India 1994:

"Mere liye woh din, jis din main woh dress pehen ke Miss India jeeti thi, mere liye itni badi baat hai. Insaan ko jo chahiye hota hai, uske liye paise ki zarurat nai hoti, insaan ki intentions sahi honi chahiye (And the day I won Miss India, wearing that dress, was such a huge thing for me. It proves that when a person wants something, money is not necessary but what's more important is good intentions)," Sen added.

Following her historic victories, Sushmita Sen embarked on a successful Bollywood career, starring in films like Biwi No 1 (1999), Main Hoon Na (2004) and many more. Her recent projects include Taali (2023) and Aarya Season 3 (2024).

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Nov 19, 2024 07:30 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).