Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and Sushmita Sen, two celebrated actresses in Bollywood, began their journeys in 1994 through the Miss India pageant. Despite reports of an intense rivalry between them as leading ladies, actress Maninee De, who was also a top 10 finalist in the Miss India contest of 1994, has shared a different perspective.
During an interview with Siddharth Kanan, Maninee De dismissed the rumors of rivalry between Aishwarya and Sushmita, labeling them as fabricated by the media. She emphasized that there was no genuine animosity between the two actresses and that they conducted themselves with dignity, especially considering their young age at the time. She revealed, “There was nothing like that between them, this was very media created. Both of them were so dignified, we were in our 20s. To my knowledge there was no rivalry at all. This was media created because Sushmita was the underdog, when we went from Delhi we were told Aishwarya was a model for a popular soap brand so what would we even do there. But there was nothing like that, especially from what I have witnessed.”
Maninee De recalled how Sushmita Sen encouraged her to participate in the contest, mentioning that Sushmita was a catalyst in her decision to join. She also mentioned her positive interactions with Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, describing her as gracious and good-natured. Maninee emphasized that the perceived rivalry between Aishwarya and Sushmita was largely a media creation and that there was no actual animosity between the two actresses.
According to Maninee, her relationship with Aishwarya and Sushmita was that of colleagues rather than friends. She appreciated the kindness shown by both actresses during their interactions. Maninee De has had a successful career in television and films, appearing in popular shows and movies like “Jassi Jaise Koi Nahi,’ ‘Krrish,’ and ‘Fashion.’ Her most recent work includes the web series ‘Campus Diaries.’
On the work front, Aishwarya was last seen in the historical action drama Ponniyin Selvan: II. Directed by Mani Ratnam, the film was released in April last year and was widely loved by all. Following the release, Abhishek Bachchan also praised his wife and mentioned that both, Jaya and Aishwarya should work more often. “It is always emotional. With my father, I am always able to view his work as an actor. With my mother, I can’t. I am a terrible judge of her work because for me that’s maa. Like for Aishwarya and dad, I can look upon their work,” he told Instant Bollywood.
Meanwhile, Sushmita recently wowed audiences with her strong performance in Aarya Season 3 Part 1. In the show, she plays a tough woman who protects her family from crime. The first season was nominated for ‘Best Drama’ at the International Emmy Awards.
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