• On herselfSushmita: She’s very humane, she’s full of contradictions. She’s a woman who loves being one. She loves power; she loves to know; to be adventurous; to travel; to find out what her highest, her best, side is. At times, she’s a completely unknown entity to her own self — I think the most amazing part about me is the fact that I find myself mysterious. • On being Miss Universe You can’t fathom what it’s like for an 18-year-old girl to stand on an international stage, and to know that for the very first time your country has something that billions of people are watching. • On being outspoken I don’t think it’s about being spunky, really. I think it’s about being pardah-less, it’s about being non-hypocritical. To say that I’m 18 and I’m okay with being on an international stage, I’m okay with representing my country, I’m okay with all that — but I’m not okay with talking about having a man in bed — I think that’s hypocritical. • On Jhansi Ki Rani In the West, when they make films about legendary heroes, like Braveheart — I mean, who knows Wallace? I want the West to know the great leaders that we’ve had. For me Rani Lakshmibai is so fascinating — in India they always say, the sons of the mother are fighting for her. This is the one time in history that a mother fought for her son. And I am dying to make this film. • On her plans I’m setting up a few businesses, actually; a production company being one of them, a leisure company being another. I intend to build hotels and build spas and make movies. • On Aishwarya Rai How can you judge your greatest potential by comparing yourself with someone else? Your greatest potential, your ability to run a race, has nothing to do with somebody else’s energy levels. It’s got to do with you, what you want. I am extremely proud of Aishwarya. I think she’s a woman who’s seen some very hard times — with the media, with the field that she’s chosen — and she’s always risen above it. • On her plans I just have this to say — you have to understand, I want it all. Not one. All. I love fame, which is why I’m doing what I’m doing. I like money — I love money. I think it’s essential. I’ve been brought up in a middle-class family, I’ve come to respect money. But money doesn’t mean whatever comes easy. I work really hard for my money, and I’m very generous with it too. I love my career because without it I wouldn’t have the independence I have. I love my relationships because you only grow in relation to people; I wouldn’t want to stagnate. I love everything about my life.
