Aishwarya, Sushmita had intense rivalry during Miss India 1994? Maninee De responds

New Delhi: Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and Sushmita Sen kickstarted their journey in 1994 with Miss India pageant. After the pageant and Bollywood debut, there were reports that the two ladies were having an intense rivalry. But how much is the truth behind the reports? Actress Maninee De, who was also amongst the top 10 finalists in Miss India 1994, finally spoke about their equation, which has made several headlines over the years.

Was there rivalry between Aishwarya and Sushmita?

Addressing the reports of rivalry between Aishwarya Rai and Sushmita Sen, Maninee De called the reports ‘media created’. She recalled that she didn’t witnessed any rivalry between the two ladies and that both of them were very much ‘dignified’.

Speaking with Siddharth Kannan, the actress said, “There was nothing like that between them, this was very media created. Both of them were so dignified, we were in our 20s. To my knowledge there was no rivalry at all. This was media created because Sushmita was the underdog, when we went from Delhi we were told Aishwarya was a model for a popular soap brand so what would we even do there. But there was nothing like that, especially from what I have witnessed.”

Maninee also recalled her first meeting with Aishwarya and called her ‘gracious’. Sharing an interaction with the Ponniyin Selvan actress, she said, “I won the Miss Congeniality contest that time and she walked up to me saying that she voted for me because I was genuinely the sweetest of the lot. I was so taken aback because there was a wedge between these Delhi and Mumbai girls. We felt marginalized at that time, but history speaks for itself, the Delhi girls achieved what they had to.”

Maninee, Sushmita became friends

The actress also recalled her first meeting with Sushmita and said that they became friends. “I must thank Sushmita Sen, she was working with my first ex-husband, and we met and became very good friends. She used to recite poetries to me at 2 am in the night and would say that I was one of those few people who would understand what she was writing. She dropped me at the Claridges Hotel and ordered me to apply, so the last form filled out for Miss India in 1994 was mine”, she added.

Work front

Maninee De has been part of TV shows such as Jassi Jaise Koi Nahi, Shaka Laka Boom Boom, Gulmohar Grand, and others. She has also worked in films such as Krrish, Fashion, and Student Of The Year.