Image was shared on X. (Courtesy: MxKantEven)

Thanks to one of the most unconventional roles of her career, Sushmita Sen is currently basking in the success of her recently released series web series Taali. The actress essays the lead role in the show, which is based on the life of transgender activist Shreegauri Sawant. Now, it is no secret that clinching the Miss Universe crown was the start of Sushmita’s career in the Hindi film industry and she was the first Indian to win the title. But did you know that the actress’ big win at Miss Universe had a Rakesh Sharma connection to it? Yes, you read that right. In her recent conversation with the Humans Of Bombay, Sushmita got candid about her formative years and shared details on her thought process behind participating in Miss Universe. The actress revealed that she was inspired by the first Indian to travel in space— astronaut Rakesh Sharma. Sushmita said she wanted to be famous but she also wanted to be the first Indian to have a certain achievement to her name.

Sushmita Sen revealed that she believes “in signs”. Therefore, the moment when Rakesh Sharma travelled to space and her parents’ reaction to the historic moment stuck with her. Sushmita said, “I don’t know if you believe in signs, but I believe in signs. So that entire episode of Rakesh Sharma going to space and my father saying ‘He’s famous beta. He is the first Indian to do this’ got stuck in my head and I said ‘That’s it I want to be famous.’”

Further, she confessed that while she didn’t know what she wanted to do, she dreamt that one day “people sitting in their living rooms” would cry and be moved by her achievement, just like her parents did for Rakesh Sharma. Sushmita revealed, “Doing what I don’t know. But I want to be famous so that people sitting in their living rooms cry about my achievements and they don’t even know me. As my parents were crying for him.”

But she was resilient about one thing: she wanted to be the first to achieve something. Sushmita Sen added, “And I want to be the first Indian to do it. And there is no idea of what. Then Miss Universe came to me, after winning Miss India. And everyone is upset about the fact that no Indian girl has ever won Miss Universe. I am thinking ‘That means I can be the first Indian.’”

Sushmita Sen concluded by saying, “Because I have seen this dream before, I knew this was the sign. I did not think I was going to win but I knew this was what I was meant to be doing because I asked for this wish. And then when they announced India, that expression on my face was a realisation that what I had pictured, wished for, had manifested in all its glory, so close to what inspired me. He got the space. I got the universe. And I got the crown.”

Sushmita Sen was last seen in Taali alongside Krutika Deo and Ankur Bhatia. She will be seen in the third season of the crime drama series Arya.