‘Mom, why are you famous?’: Daughter Alisah’s questions compelled Sushmita Sen to return to acting | Sit With Hitlist

In an exclusive conversation with Mid-day.com, Sushmita Sen revealed how she was told that quitting films for motherhood 'in her prime' was a mistake

Sushmita Sen is a name that is synonymous with beauty, grace, and phenomenal personality. After winning Miss Universe in 1994, Sushmita Sen made her acting debut, essaying a fictionalised version of herself in the thriller 'Dastak'. While the film was not fully appreciated for its thrilling elements, one thing was clear: Sushmita Sen had the 'IT' factor.

From winning the Miss Universe crown to dominating the 2000s with more ventures like Main Hoon Na or Maine Pyaar Kyun Kiya, Sushmita Sen had made her mark in Bollywood, without quite joining the rat race to the top.

The actress sat down for a heart-to-heart chat with Mid-day's 'Sit With Hitlist' segment to open up about her 8-year hiatus from Bollywood. The actress and mother of two, Alisah and Renee, opened up about a momentous question posed by her younger daughter that triggered her return to the industry.

Reflecting on her last Bollywood venture before 'Aarya,' Sushmita recalled, "No Problem was the last one. I said, we are going to face the problem, and the problem is it is not working, and I had just become a mother again." Alisah, who was merely a month old when Sushmita adopted her, played a significant role in her decision-making process during that period.

Sushmita elaborated, "I love motherhood. So let me do this, right? Of course, I did have my then manager and people from the industry, friends who said, 'You are making a very big blunder. This is your prime age as an actor; you don’t quit at this point.' But inside, there is a voice that's saying, No, don't do it. And I have to listen to that voice because it has worked for me my whole life."

Sushmita Sen explained that her hiatus from the world of acting was always meant to be a temporary pause. "I said I was not quitting. I am just taking a break."

She went on to paint a picture of her life after her 'break' extended. "So, I took a break, and that break just continued because the scripts that were coming also dried up, obviously because you are not visible.

However, it was an unexpected question from Alisah that led to a pivotal realisation for Sushmita Sen. Recounting the conversation, Sushmita shared, "One day, she meets some paps under the house, and she says, 'Maa, why do they take pictures with you?' So I said, 'Because I am kind of famous.' So she goes, 'Doing what?' I said, 'I was Miss Universe. That was a long time ago, mom.' But I am also an actor. But you don't act. You don't do movies.'"

Sushmita continued, "I said, 'Because I am sitting here with you, I wanted to be with you.' No, you just don't do it, mom. I don't need you."

Alisah’s simple statement had the impact of a thousand forces. It shook Sushmita to the core. The statement became a catalyst, a driving force that prompted her to contact streaming giants like Netflix, Amazon Prime, and Hotstar, signalling her readiness to step back into her true calling.

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