7 Lessons In Classiness That We Can All Learn From Sushmita Sen
niharika nayakBA (Media & Communication) Experience: 4 yearsNiharika has a passion for all things art, music, and travel and has over 4 years of experience in writing for social media. During her spare time, she likes experimenting in the kitchen, playing vide... more
When you hear the name Sushmita Sen, the first statement that comes to mind is “Bold and Beautiful.” Sushmita is someone who comes from a non-Bollywood background and has proven herself to be as intelligent as she is beautiful. She has never been one to shy away from speaking her mind and living life on her own terms, and that is precisely why we have so much admiration for her. Besides being a former Miss Universe, she is also a massively talented actress, a philanthropist, a fitness freak, and an overall incredible human being. She is probably one of the few divas in Bollywood who isn’t really a diva. So here are a couple of lessons we can learn from the effervescent Sushmita Sen:
1. When She Didn’t Let Others Perspectives On Marriage Affect Her
Sushmita was never the type of person who believed in signing a government contract to prove your love for someone. Perhaps, this is why she still remains unmarried at 45. But then again, who said being unmarried is a bad thing, right? Well, Sushmita is one of the few women who likes to live life on her own terms. She is currently in a relationship with Rohman Shawl, who is 15 years younger than she is. And well, age gaps are pretty common in Bollywood, right? We have Saif and Kareena with their ten-year age gap, Priyanka Chopra Jonas and Nick Jonas, too, share the same age difference with one another. Sushmita often shares her blended family’s snaps, and it is quite evident that her daughters, Renee and Alisah, are huge fans of their mother’s boyfriend. Regarding marriage, Sushmita was once quoted as saying, “I love my father. He once told someone – please someone look at my daughter. Do you think I have raised her in a way that her only identity is to be someone’s wife?”.
2. When She Stood Her Ground While Contesting For Miss Universe
Twenty-seven years ago, in 1994, Sushmita won big as the winner of Miss India, and her competitor Aishwarya Rai reached the runner-up position. However, right as the Miss Universe pageant was set to take place, an organizer misplaced Sushmita’s passport. Due to her passport’s misplacement, they considered sending Aishwarya Rai in place of Sushmita Sen. Well, with such little time left for the competition, any other person would have given up. But Sushmita isn’t any ordinary woman. With the help of her father and his friend, Sachin Pilot, Sushmita was able to get a passport arranged for herself last minute and attend the pageant. She went on to win the pageant and bring India immense pride. Aishwarya, on the other hand, won the title of Miss World.
3. When She Agreed To Help Renee Find Her Birth Parents
Sure, this is considered the ethical and right thing to do when you decide to raise an adopted child, but that doesn’t make it any easier. Sushmita offered her oldest daughter Renee the opportunity to help her track her birth parents when she turned 18. It’s always a good idea to allow your child the ability to live life on their own terms and be forthcoming with them. We highly respect Sushmita for her incredible strength and courage to do so.
4. When She Took Her Time To Make A Comeback
Sushmita made a comeback with the web series, Aarya. When asked about her decision to return back to acting and what made her choose Aarya, Sushmita spoke about how the web series represented determination, strength, and vulnerability in a world that is run by men and also filled with criminals. She added that for her, it was the story of betrayal, family, and a mother who would be willing to go to great lengths to ensure her children are safe. Although it took her a year to find a role that she could sink into, she was thrilled to be a part of an incredible story.
5. When She Didn’t Let Age Stop Her From Being Herself
Many women believe that aging is horrible and something that is inevitable. But the reality is, with age, you only get wiser and more beautiful. Rather than being insecure about her growing age, Sushmita celebrates her age and works on loving her body and treating it right. Although she is 45 years old, she doesn’t look a day over 30. Life goes on and does not stop after you’ve reached 40, and Sushmita proves it with her evergreen looks.
6. When She Chose To Adopt And Raise Her Daughters As A Single Mother
In the year 2000, approximately six years after bagging Miss Universe’s title, Sushmita decided to take the big move of adopting a baby girl. Despite being such a famous personality, Sushmita had to jump through many hoops in order to adopt her daughter. She was questioned about how she would take care of a child while working and how she would raise a daughter without a man by her side. Well, Sushmita fought hard and was eventually allowed to adopt her daughter, Renee Sen. Ten years after she adopted Renee, she decided to adopt another daughter and named her Alisah. Fast forward to today, and both her daughters are all grown up and ready to take on the world. Sushmita proved that a child does not always need two parents to raise them, but just one parent who cares enough.
7. When She Never Let Her Failures Define Her
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Failures have been a part of Sushmita’s life, and she has sometimes had a tough time with her career in Bollywood. She initially was typecast and received some amount of criticism for her acting skills. However, she did not let this stop her and picked herself up each time she fell down. We totally admire her determination and strong beliefs. As they say, failure is simply a stepping stone to finding success.
While many may not agree with Sushmita’s views, we have to admit that this strong, determined and independent woman is a feminist icon that we should all appreciate. The way in which she raises her daughters and remains unapologetically fierce is something that we can all learn to model. Do let us know all of your thoughts on this article in the comment section below!
