Sushmita Sen opens up about meeting Donald Trump while recalling her Miss Universe franchise days: 'He's not...
'The Miss Universe Organisation called me, and said, 'Would you like to take the franchise?' I was like, 'What? Really? That was like a dream!'' she recalled.
It was, however, a dream laced with complications. The pageant was then owned by Donald Trump, which she admits 'didn't make it easy or fun.'
Was Donald Trump her boss?
While Trump was the franchise owner, Sushmita clarified that he was not her direct superior. 'Luckily, the only people who were my boss at that time were Paramount Communications and Madison Square Garden, because they owned Miss Universe when I was an employee of Miss Universe for a year. I was a franchise owner for Donald Trump.'
She did meet Trump during that period, but she refused to dwell on him. 'The point is that it doesn't matter,' she said, before adding her candid impression: 'There are some people who leave an impression, not necessarily because of their achievements or power. Just for the people that they are. He is not one of them.'
The Trump era of Miss Universe
Donald Trump owned the Miss Universe Organisation from 1996 to 2015, a time when he was still best known as a business tycoon and TV personality. He later became the 45th President of the United States in 2017 and, after losing the 2020 election, returned to win the 2024 race, taking office again in January 2025.
From Miss Universe to the big screen
Sushmita's own Miss Universe win in 1994 was a watershed moment for India, making her the first Indian woman to wear the crown. The victory propelled her into modelling and Bollywood, where she became known for her elegance, wit, and strong screen presence.
After a break from acting, she made a celebrated comeback with the series Aarya, followed by Taali, in which she played transgender activist Shreegauri Sawant — a performance that drew critical praise.
Sushmita's account of her time with the franchise offers a rare peek into the glamour and grit of beauty pageants, the corporate layers behind them, and the personalities who shaped that world — for better or worse.
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