Sushmita Sen is a renowned Indian actress, model and former beauty pageant winner who predominantly works in Hindi cinema. She made history in 1994 by becoming the first Indian woman to win the prestigious Miss Universe title. Known for her elegance, confidence and versatile acting, she has appeared in several successful films, including Biwi No. 1, Sirf Tum, Aankhen, Main Hoon Na and Maine Pyaar Kyun Kiya?. She has also received appreciation for her performances in the web series Aarya and Taali.
Sushmita Sen was born on 19 November 1975 in Hyderabad, Telangana, India. She grew up in a Bengali family. Her father, Shubeer Sen, served as a Wing Commander in the Indian Air Force, while her mother, Subhra Sen, is a jewellery designer.
She began her journey in the modelling industry and participated in the Femina Miss India pageant in 1994. She won the Femina Miss India Universe title and went on to represent India at the Miss Universe 1994 competition in the Philippines. She created history by becoming the first Indian woman to win the Miss Universe crown. Sushmita made her acting debut with Mahesh Bhatt's thriller film Dastak in 1996. She later appeared in the Tamil film Ratchagan (1997), opposite Nagarjuna. Her performances in films such as Sirf Tum (1999), Biwi No. 1 (1999), Filhaal... (2002), Aankhen (2002) and Main Hoon Na (2004) established her as a popular Bollywood actress. Her performance in Biwi No. 1 earned her the Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actress. She also received appreciation for her roles in Maine Pyaar Kyun Kiya? (2005), Chingaari (2005), Zindaggi Rocks (2006) and other films. After taking a break from films, she made a successful comeback with the web series Aarya in 2020, portraying the lead character Aarya Sareen. Her performance received critical appreciation and earned her a Filmfare OTT Award. In 2023, she portrayed transgender activist Shreegauri Sawant in the biographical series Taali. Apart from her acting career, Sushmita Sen is admired for her independent personality and dedication to motherhood. She adopted her first daughter, Renee, in 2000 and her second daughter, Alisah, in 2010.