Bollywood star and actress Zeenat Aman, who won the Femina Miss India pageant and Miss Asia Pacific International in 1970, when she was just 19 years old, is delighted with Harnaaz Sandhu being crowned Miss Universe 2021 in Eilat, Israel.

Zeenat Aman says, “I am extremely happy that another one of our country’s girls has been crowned Miss Universe 2021. It’s my personal opinion that Indian women are extremely pretty and they always stand out when it comes to beauty, poise and confidence. It is indeed a big achievement once again for our country.”

The actress is also impressed with the confidence that young women show on the ramp. She says, “When you watch them participating in a pageant, you realise that they have got it all right — the correct posture, diction, vocabulary, communication skills and confidence. Everything about them is so flawless, which shows the effort that goes into it.”

Going down memory lane, she recounts, “I not only won Femina Miss India and Miss Asia Pacific in 1970, but I was also crowned Miss Photogenic. I remember doing my own make-up and hair, and picking my own costumes. In those days, we did not have such support systems. We just put our best foot forward. I am glad that the girls now have a great team working with them.”

Ask the actress about films becoming a natural choice for most pageant winners and she says, “No, it is not mandatory. Reita Faria (Miss World 1966) was a doctor. It seems that most prefer to join showbiz, but not all want to become actresses. I am happy that the youth of our country is exposed to a global culture through various digital platforms and they have knowledge of a lot more things now. I hope that the young men and women of our country continue to shine and make us proud.”