Sen & Sensibility

Things have changed exponentially since the time she won the crown 16-years back. “The concept of beauty has changed since 1994. It is a lot more professional now. Besides,an 18-year-old today doesn’t need to be groomed for global exposure. They are born with it. But yes,I have made a conscious effort to go beyond the norm.” So,there are contestants ranging from girls who can read the Bhagvad Gita verbatim,to ones who can’t speak English at all. “We have girls speaking in Punjabi and Marathi,and Hindi if not English. There is a contestant who is a dentist and can see through one eye only,she wants to win this and work for oral cancer. This is where the empowerment comes in. We will be offering scholarships to these girls to study further and make the most of the opportunities,” says Sen,who even sports a tattoo,I Am She.

Her film career never quite took up,but Sen remains unapologetic about it. “People often say I didn’t get my due in films,but in a way,it is good. I was never a rat! People in our industry live on Fridays. I live on Saturdays and Sundays. When we get set in a mould,we get conditioned and too cosy. I’d rather stay out of it,grab every opportunity and not be cowed down by fear,” she laughs,looking stunning in her black gown.