The 1994 Miss India pageant remains one of the most memorable moments in Indian beauty history — and ad filmmaker Prahlad Kakkar recently shared an unseen glimpse of what really went on behind the scenes. In an interview, he recalled witnessing an emotional moment between the two leading contestants — Aishwarya Rai and Sushmita Sen — as they competed for the coveted title.
Prahlad Kakkar, who was closely associated with Aishwarya during the event, said that he had accompanied her and her mother to Goa for the competition. During one of the rounds, he noticed Sushmita sitting in a corner, visibly upset and crying. Despite being on the “opposing side”, he approached her to ask what was wrong. The filmmaker remembered Sushmita expressing her frustration, saying she felt the competition was unfair and that everyone already believed Aishwarya would win. She felt overshadowed by Aishwarya’s growing fame and thought the rest of the contestants were merely filling up the stage.
Prahlad Kakkar said that he comforted her, assuring her that the panel of judges which included respected names like businesswoman Simone Tata, would make their decision based solely on merit. He reminded her that someone like Simone Tata would never allow the results to be influenced. As it turned out, Sushmita’s fears were unfounded. “That’s exactly what happened — she won,” Prahlad Kakkar said.
He further revealed that the judges had such a difficult time choosing between the two that they added an extra round to help them decide. Both the women were equally graceful and confident but according to Prahlad Kakkar, Aishwarya faltered slightly in that round. It eventually came down to the question-and-answer segment, where Sushmita’s confident response shaped by her convent-school background gave her the edge. That final round sealed her victory.
The rest, as Prahlad Kakkar noted, became history. Sushmita Sen went on to make the country proud by becoming the first Indian to win the Miss Universe title, while Aishwarya Rai later claimed the Miss World crown, two remarkable women who defined an unforgettable year in India’s pageant legacy.
