Sushmita Sen (Bengali pronunciation:[ʃuʃmitaʃen]; born 19 November 1975) is an Indian actress and beauty pageant titleholder, who was crownedMiss Universe 1994,[1][2] becoming the firstIndian woman to win the title. Sen has since predominantly worked inHindi films, and is a recipient of aFilmfare Award and aFilmfare OTT Award.[3]
Sushmita made her acting debut playing a fictionalised version of herself in the thrillerDastak (1996). She won theFilmfare Award for Best Supporting Actress for her performance as the girlfriend of a married man in the comedy filmBiwi No.1 (1999), and was also nominated in the category for her roles in the dramasSirf Tum (1999) andFilhaal... (2002). Her other commercially successful films wereAankhen (2002),Main Hoon Na (2004), andMaine Pyaar Kyun Kiya? (2005).[4] After a career downturn and hiatus, Sen starred in the drama seriesAarya (2020–2024), winning a Filmfare OTT Award, and portrayed transgender activistShreegauri Sawant in the miniseriesTaali (2023).
In 1994, at the age of 18 Sen entered and won the titleFemina Miss India, earning the right to compete at theMiss Universe 1994 contest.[13][14] At theMiss Universe contest held inPasay,Philippines, Sen ranked third overall in the preliminaries, behind Miss ColombiaCarolina Gómez and Miss VenezuelaMinorka Mercado. Sen went on to place second, fifth and third in the subsequent rounds and finally won the title and crown of Miss Universe 1994.[15][16]
After theTimes Group relinquished the rights to choose the Indian representative to Miss Universe, Sen's project,I Am She – Miss Universe India, took over, running it for three years (2010–2012). This was followed byFemina taking over.[17][18]
After her reign as Miss Universe, Sen ventured into the Hindi film industry. Her first film was in 1996, the thrillerDastak, in which she played the victim of a stalker, played bySharad Kapoor.[21] It was the most expensive Indian film at the time of its release.[22] In 1998, she played a low-profile reporter oppositeSunny Deol inZor, a box office failure.[23]
In 1999, Sen earned wider recognition with her portrayal of Rupali Walia inDavid Dhawan's comedy filmBiwi No.1, alongsideSalman Khan andKarisma Kapoor. It received positive reviews from critics and emerged as the second highest-grossing movie of 1999.[24] Syed Firdaus Ashraf ofRediff.com noted, "Sen has tried hard to make a mark in a different role, but her role itself isn't worth remembering." She won theFilmfare Award for Best Supporting Actress for her performance in the film.[25] The same year, she received a second nomination for the Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actress for her performance as Aarti in the romantic dramaSirf Tum. For this performance, Sharmila Taliculam of Rediff.com termed her the, "star of the film".[26] Her last film of the year wasHindustan Ki Kasam oppositeAjay Devgn. The film was an average grosser, despite taking a bumper opening.[27]
Her only film in 2000,Aaghaaz saw her playing a police officer, oppositeSuniel Shetty. Anjali Abrol ofPlanet Bollywood stated that Sen did "decently well" in her role.[28]
Sen (second from left) with the co-stars of her movieFilhaal in 2002
Sen received critical acclaim for her roles in 2002. Her first film of the yearAankhen saw her play a teacher, oppositeArjun Rampal andAkshay Kumar, was a critical success and the second-highest-grossing film of 2002.[31][32] Priya Ganapati ofRediff.com noted, "Sushmita Sen's role of Neha deserves an extra round of applause. Neha doesn't need a man to exist. She is intelligent and capable, even during the climax."[33] She next appeared in the action thrillerTumko Na Bhool Paayenge opposite Salman Khan.[34] In her final film of the year, Sen portrayed a surrogate mother in the romantic filmFilhaal..., oppositePalash Sen. Radhika Rajamani ofIdlebrain opined, "The sterling performance (best up to date) of Sushmita Sen endears."BBC noted, "Sushmita Sen, is the sparkling character of the film. She adds the lighter moments with sheer panache. In my books, she is a real gem!"[35][36] Her performance in the film earned her a third nomination for the Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actress.
Sen had three films in 2004. She first appeared inVaastu Shastra, as a doctor oppositeJ. D. Chakravarthi.[39] Her career's biggest success came with the action masala filmMain Hoon Na, in which she played the role of a chemistry teacher oppositeShah Rukh Khan. The film grossed a total of₹ 330,000,000 and was the second highest-grossing film of that year.[40][41]Taran Adarsh ofBollywood Hungama noted, "Sushmita Sen looks like a million bucks and her on-screen chemistry with SRK is fantastic. Her role doesn't really demand histrionics, but she carries it off stylishly."[42] In her last film of the year, she appeared alongsideManisha Koirala inPaisa Vasool.[43]
Sen received further success with her two films of 2005. She first portrayed a dutiful nurse in her third film with Salman Khan, the romantic comedyMaine Pyaar Kyun Kiya?. It emerged as the fifth-highest-grossing film of the year.[44]Sukanya Verma of Rediff.com stated, "Sen as Naina looks hot, talks sense and acts super. Her intelligence doesn't interfere with the absurdity of her surroundings. It only makes it more convincing."[45] Later the year, she portrayed a lawyer inMain Aisa Hi Hoon opposite Ajay Devgan.BBC said that Sen "shines" in her performances as innocent client and well-meaning lawyer.[46]
Sen had two releases in 2006. She first played a prostitute with a child inChingaari oppositeAnuj Sawhney. Priyanka Jain of Rediff.com noted, "Sushmita puts in a mind-blowing performance. It's her film through and through. She is the only possible reason to watch this film."[47] She then played a rockstar Kriya in the musical filmZindaggi Rocks, oppositeShiney Ahuja.[48]
Sen had two releases in 2010. She first appeared as a successful supermodel in the romantic comedyDulha Mil Gaya, opposite Shah Rukh Khan andFardeen Khan. The film was a moderate success that year.[53] Sen then appeared in the action-comedy filmNo Problem, the same year.[54][55]
Sen did not have any releases for five years. In 2015, she starred in a Bengalidrama film titledNirbaak, marking her comeback oppositeAnjan Dutt.[56] In Sen's career, this was her first film in Bengali language.[57] Shomini Sen ofNews18 wrote, "Sushmita Sen is good but there is so much more that could be done to tap from her talent."[58]
Post a hiatus of five years, Sen made her web debut in 2020 withDisney+ Hotstar's crime thrillerAarya. She played a mafia queen oppositeChandrachur Singh.[59][60] Udita Jhunjhunwala ofFirstpost noted, "Sen holds the series together. As the unsuspecting inheritor of a shady consignment, she literally and figuratively towers over everyone else. This meaty role allows her space to express herself." Sen received the award for Best Actress – Female, at the2020 Filmfare OTT Awards.[61] Sen then reprised her role in the second season of the series in 2022.[62][63]Saibal Chatterjee ofNDTV noted, "Sushmita Sen carries on from where she left off in Season 1. With nary a false step, she delivers another exceptional performance packed with power."[64]
Sen with her daughters atRaveena Tandon's showIsi Ka Naam Zindagi
Sen is the mother of two adopted daughters. At the age of 24 years old she adopted her first daughter Renee Sen in 2000 while her second daughter Alisah joined the family in 2010.[5][65]
Sen was diagnosed in 2014 withAddison's disease and was told she would require lifelong steroid drugs to manage the illness.[66][67] After being rushed to hospital in 2019, doctors confirmed Sen no longer had to take steroids. "I healed in time, my adrenal glands woke up, no more steroids, no withdrawals and no auto-immune condition as of 2019," Sen stated.[68]
Sushmita Sen was in a relationship with actorRandeep Hooda from 2004 to 2006.[69][70] Sen then dated model Rohman Shawl from 2018 to 2021.[71][72] In July 2022, it was reported that she is dating businessman and cricket administratorLalit Modi.[73] In February 2025,Lalit Modi confirms breakup with Sushmita Sen.[74]
Sen is considered as one of the most popular actresses of 2000's inHindi cinema.[75] InRediff.com's "Best Bollywood Actresses", Sen was placed 5th in 2004, 6th in 2005, 10th in 2006 and 3rd in 2020.[76][77][78][79]Filmfare placed her 6th in their "Top Ten Actresses" list.[80]Rediff.com further placed her 8th in its "Bollywood's Most Beautiful Actresses" list.[81] In theTimes Most Desirable Women list, Sen was placed 6th in 2009, 25th in 2010 and 27th in 2011.[82][83][84] Cited in the media as asex symbol, Sen was placed inFemina's "50 Most Beautiful Women" list.[85]Times of India placed her at 11th position in its "50 Beautiful Faces" list.[86] In 2020, she was namedRediff.com's "Top OTT Actresses".[87]
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