Urvashi Rautela Reveals Sushmita Sen Asked Her To Step Down From Miss Universe In 2012, Claims She Won The Pageant Twice

Back in 2012, Urvashi Rautela had qualified to participate in Miss Universe. She had participated in the ‘I Am She–Miss Universe India’ pageant and had won it. However, Femina Miss India had given up its exclusive rights to choose the model who would represent India at the main Miss Universe pageant. Following this, Sushmita Sen’s company had taken over. The former Miss Universe had asked her to step down because she was not 18.

In a conversation with Mirchi Plus, Rautela recalled, “When I won Miss Universe India for the first time in 2012, there is an age limit for Miss Universe… Our boss was Donald Trump. The age limit was 18, even I didn’t know that I was 17 after I won. I was 24 days short from the age limit.” She continued, “Sushmita Sen told me that ‘Urvashi, you can’t go…’ At that point, I felt like the biggest loser of my life.”

In 2015, she mentioned that she went in to audition again. She reminisced, “All the girls there, they did not want me to participate. And I could actually feel that because there was this entire group and I was all alone. People said who gives 10th standard exams after passing 12th standard exams? But I still did it, and I still won. I am the only girl who won Miss Universe India twice.”

Urvashi Rautela will be next seen in ‘JNU: Jahangir National University.’