Malayalam actor Shwetha Menon might be known as the first woman president of the Association of Malayalam Movie Artists (AMMA) now, but she had a long and illustrious career that led to this. Speaking at the India Today Conclave, Shwetha recollected competing in the Miss India pageant and being Aishwarya Rai’s roommate. Here’s what she said.

Shwetha Menon on rooming with Aishwarya Rai during Miss India

1994 was an important year for India, with Sushmita Sen winning the title and becoming the first Indian to win Miss Universe. Aishwarya, who was the runner-up, was crowned Miss World. As for Shwetha, she became Miss India Asia Pacific the same year, though she didn’t win the pageant.

Recollecting those memories at the conclave, she said, “I was a roommate of Aishwarya Rai, and Sushmita Sen won it. I went to Miss India Asia Pacific, but managed to get third runner-up without any backing or monetary backing. The excitement that we had, I can see it in everyone now and in my daughter (Sabaina) too. Today, I think everyone is a model.”

On fighting a case during AMMA elections

During the AMMA elections, Shwetha also had to battle a legal case when activist Martin Menachery filed an FIR about ‘obscenity’ in some of her old films. Talking about it at the conclave, she said, “More the enemies, the more I excel. The case was shattering as a person. The films, which were mentioned, fetched me a state award. No one has ever been exposed to such a case. I was confused if I should back out of the election and fight the case. It’s my family’s support that made me go ahead. Then I became a fiery tigress.”

Through her career, Shwetha has acted mostly in Malayalam and Hindi, apart from a few Telugu and Tamil projects. She also ventured into television in both Malayalam and Hindi, taking part in Season 1 of Bigg Boss Malayalam, apart from a few other reality shows. She was most recently seen in Jangar, apart from the JioHotstar series Nagendran’s Honeymoons.