And I am Sushmita Sen!

Long before, A.P.J.Abdul Kalam made his remarkably famous statement, Dream dreams because dreams lead to thought and thought leads to action. A gawky teenager, dared to dream different. She was Indias first Miss Universe.

And ever since, the lady has come a long way, courting controversies remember her octroi invading car case? to being accused of a home breaker by Vikram Bhatts ex wife to adopting an orphaned child and becoming a single mother to many emotional turmoils in her personal life. But nothing can dampen her free spirit.

The lady is far more beautiful, elegant, and attractive than any of her Bollywood contemporaries. She presents truly a woman of substance.

She is Sushmita Sen, stunning, and gorgeous India's first Miss Universe, a beauty with brains, which is rare in the land of bimbettes. Today, on international Womens day, I present, Ms Sushmita Sens Indias first Miss Universe...

I was still in my rookie days, when news flashed on the idiot box there was neither breaking news nor live telecast in the 90s saying that the leggy babe from Delhi has beaten 76 beauties from all over the world to become Indias first Miss Universe. Sushs winning answer at the grand finale, I think being a woman by itself, the very fact that you're a woman, is a gift of god which we all must appreciate. The origin of a child is a mother who is a woman, and a woman is one who shares love and shows a man what love, caring and sharing is all about. Thank you.

The crowd went hysterical I watched awestruck as millions of Indians all over world as she was crowned Miss Universe, 94, the most beautiful women in this planet. A proud moment and a truly Sensational story followed.

I watched from a distance, as she scaled many heights and honed to perfection her acting skills by doing close to more than 30 films. At times though her movies might take critical and box office beatings, but itll take more than that to dampen Sushs big ambitions. She is just getting more ambitious by the day. Perhaps thats why shes getting ready for her biggest and the most adventurous film of her career, Rani Laxmibai of Jhansi, a film she will produce and star as the legendary Jhansi Ki Rani, a character all of us identity right from our school days.

I will shot the film in Madhya Pradesh, she informs. A first of its kind in itself, the much delayed project is likely to start anytime this year. And when asked the reason behind the delay, pat come the reply, The subject, considering its historical significance, requires thorough research. Its Sushs idea of saluting and paying tribute to her childhood hero, the great Indian queen, who fought against British colonial rule, I see her as a woman of strength, courage and affection. She fought her battle as much as a mother and as a queen, she says and further informs that the film isnt just another project for her. Its a legacy she wants to leave behind to the world. This is celebrating history, so whatever I do, will be a part of history. The script, contributed by many young people and women, is in place, she smiles, I want to release the movie in early 2009.

Her moving saga of the great Indian warrior princess is being planned in association with the Madhya Pradesh government. The government has allotted a few acres of land in the birth place of Rani for me to shoot and make my studio, she says. And following in Aamirs footsteps remember how he donated the village where he shot Lagaan to the villagers, Sush too will convert her studio into a museum, where costumes, props and other material used by her in the film will be displayed.

We will start the museum and a trust in the name of Rani Laxmibai. The trust will look after the education and development of the girl child. The government has agreed as this will promote the country and its past glory, she informs. And guess why shes determined to make this movie? Because ever since she was a child, she was fascinated by the legendary queen. I have a definite vision of how to portray the legendary Rani, she says.

And coming back to her professional life, she has happily withdrawn herself from Bollywoods infamous rat race syndrome, 10 years from now, people should remember me for my work, she says. I'm happy to be working at my own pace.

While, not many know that, shes quite a painter and a poet as well, but unlike others, she doesnt like to beat the media drum, when it comes to her brush with colours and her other hidden talents. Those are her inner private moments she isn't willing to share with the world, except for a fact that one of her paintings fetched $50,000 at an auction in Dubai. She donated the entire money to Pakistans ex cricketer turned politician Imran Khans Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital and Research Center in Pakistan.

Shes happy most, when shes with her daughter Renee. And some day, like King Khan, this Ex Miss Universe would like to write her own autobiography. Thats in the pipeline for sure, but I guess it will take some time before I put my thoughts in the paper, she says. And if and when she decides, she has a ready title, Butterfly, as she puts it in her own word, What the world calls the end of a catepillas life, God calls it a butterfly. I am that butterfly of God and that is how I live my life.

Call it a little ironies of life, she once wanted to become a journalist, now shes being chased by hundreds of jurnos everyday, I was not destined for it, I'm a firm believer of fate, she says.

And her personal life over the years, her lovers have increased in volume. From her first college lover, Rajat Tara to Ricky Martin, to Vikram Bhatt to restaurateur Sanjay Narang to her rumoured brief fling with Sanjay Kapoor to the mysterious business tycoon, to budding actor Randeep Hooda to her most recent love affair with ad filmmaker boyfriend Manav Menon, but shes still in pursuit of her dream man.