Being beauty queen is about having character: Sushmita Sen

Good height and an attractive face are just not enough to get a place in Sushmita Sen's Wadhawan Lifestyle I Am She contest. The former beauty queen and actress says the most important criterion for selection is a person with "good character".

"When I say character, I mean that a lot of women who come are very beautiful but some of them can do anything to achieve what they want. Such girls don't belong to I Am She," Sushmita told IANS in an interview.

The Wadhawan Lifestyle I Am She contest has been choosing India's official entry for the Miss Universe contest since last year. For 2010, Ushoshi Sengupta was the chosen one but couldn't win the title. Earlier, Femina Miss India title holders participated in the pageant.

This year, 20 candidates have been shortlisted. Before the names are finalised, Sushmita said, "We speak to them, we do background checking".

Sushmita, who became the first Indian woman to win the Miss Universe crown in 1994, added: "We don't send a girl to Miss Universe (competition) if we haven't done a proper background check because we don't want the girl to get disqualified on any grounds.

"The cases of women being married and not showing they are married or any other problem are on the rise. Being an international winner is about having character. You can be very beautiful, very tall, fit the bill in every aspect, but if you don't have a character, then there is a lesser chance of you getting selected."

Sushmita, 35, said candidates were learning and getting better.

"The whole idea of the franchise is to pick out from the global audience what it is that India needs to spruce up to win. If we continue to have support of our sponsors, the awareness will grow faster because it is not a free job - creating awareness is an expensive proposition, which we started last year," she said.

Next year, Sushmita plans to give extra global exposure to the finalists by taking them abroad for grooming sessions.

"Next year onwards a new chapter begins - the host countries will change. Only the main show will be held in India. The girls will be groomed in other countries. This way they will get basic international exposure even before going to the Miss Universe platform... it will help them not to get off balance when they reach the main pageant."

In 2000, Lara Dutta became the second Indian to win the prestigious title, but there has been no winner after that.

Asked why, Sushmita, who has acted in films like "Biwi No.1", "Main Hoon Na" and "Filhaal", said simply: "Awareness."

"Properties of cricket as a sport worked because they are sponsor-driven. The awareness is huge. My five-year plan is not only to win the Miss Universe for India again but also to create the kind of awareness where state-wise people cheer for their girl and once she becomes I AM She's Miss India, people cheer for the country. We need to start taking these girls seriously," she said.

Sushmita Sen Call Off Her Relationship With Wasim Akram

Five months of togetherness and then break up. Actress Sushmita Sen and former Pakistani ace cricketer Wasim Akram’s relationship was very short-lived.

They met, fell in love and then separated. Wasim Akram and Sushmita Sen came closer while judging a dance reality show.

But both mutually decided to call off their relationship. Sush’s growing closeness with Indian Premier League (IPL) chief Lalit Modi is said to be the reason of their separation.

After Wasim’s wife Huma passed away in Oct 2009, Akram found solace in Sush’s company. Sush made him to live life again.

Another reason of their break up is said to be the long distance relationship. Wasim spend most of his time in Pakistan and Sushmita is not ready to move with him to Pak.

She wants to stay in India. They discussed and then decided to settle down in Dubai but as time passed Sush did not agree to move to Dubai also.

Many times, they had argument on settlement issue. Finally, they decided to call it off.

I Am She Contestants Filed A FIR Against Sushmita Sen

The 18-year-old Ipsita Pati who was among the top 30 contestants of ‘I Am She’ Miss Universe India Pageant has raised serious allegations against Sushmita Sen and the contest organizers Tantra Entertainment Private Ltd.

As a daily reports, the girl on Wednesday filed a FIR at the Women’s Police Station in Bhubaneswar and accused the organizers of the event for causing her “mental and physical torture”. According to her allegations, she was prescribed a very “horrible” diet by the dietician and was kept “starving”. And at the last moment her name was intentionally removed from the final list because she was “under-weight”, claims Ipsita.

She even talked to the press and told them that she suffered weakness during the contest and was even hospitalized but wasn’t allowed to talk to her parents as her grooming session was in progression. She has even met Orissa’s Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik along with her mother and has asked for his help in this matter.

Ipsita is an aspiring model who is not new to beauty contests; she has already won Miss South India title in the year 2008.

Suspended Chairman Lalit Modi To Be Venturing Into Movie Production

Wakey wakey my walnut cupcakes! I know you want to laze around under your satin sheets, blame it on the Monday morning blues. But I've some really garam and chatpati news for you. So rise forth and read on for your dose of daily goss.

For starters, I've just been informed that it looks like Sushmita Sen's dream will finally come true. Thanks to Lalit Modi, suspended chairman and commissioner of the Indian Premiere League (IPL), who is said to be venturing into movie production now. Nah, before you ask, let me remind you that that Lalitji has dabbled in showbiz before, with Modi Entertainment some years ago.

And he's had a good experience dealing with B-town folks after the IPL took off three years ago. So it won't be difficult for him to start his film production business.

Coming back to the point, my khabru tells me that Lalitji and Sush got pally after she attended a match during IPL 3. And during the course of their conversation, the actress-cum-aspiring producer revealed how her dream project was stuck in a limbo. Apparently, it was only recently that Lalitji and Sush met to discuss reviving her Rani Laxmibai, biopic on the Queen of Jhansi.

While it's too early for them to confirm things, my jasoos tells me that Sush has given Lalitji her budget break-up and the two are said to be working on the logistics of such a large-scale production.

Hmm, like Sush, my informer and I are keeping our fingers crossed too. Keep watching this space for regular updates, my sweetums.

Miss Universe Stefania Fernandez Visit India For I Am She

As the days pass and clock ticks, Sushmita Sen is leaving no stone unturned to make her ‘I Am She’ 2010 Miss India-Universe Pageant a success.

The former Miss Universe has been slogging away to select the Miss Universe contestant from India for this year. From Bollywood, Vivek Oberoi and Koena Mitra would be part of the jury panel.

And Sush plans a bigger surprise for the final day. We hear she is bringing the reigning Miss Universe Stefania Fernandez of Venezuela to India for the grand event.

The Miss Universe 2010 is on August 23 in Las Vegas, USA, and almost 80 beauties from different countries will vie for the coveted crown.