“And the new… Miss Universe is… India!” When host Steve Harvey said these words at the 70th edition of the Miss Universe pageant, every Indian got goosebumps. Harnaaz Sandhu bagged the winner’s crown on December 13 and brought the title home after 21 years. It’s an iconic win and the one that we’re not going to forget for a very, very long time. Several Bollywood celebs including Lara Dutta and Priyanka Chopra have congratulated the model and their words are making us prouder and more nostalgic.
PC took to her Instagram handle recently and shared a video where Harnaaz’s name was being announced as the winner. She wrote in the caption, “And the new Miss Universe is… Miss India. Congratulations @harnaazsandhu_03 (for) bringing the crown home after 21 years.” During a recent promotion of her upcoming movie, The Matrix Resurrections, the desi girl, who won Miss World 2000, was asked about the iconic win by an international daily. She couldn’t stop praising the young talent and said that she was extremely excited for Harnaaz.
Priyanka also made a quirky observation about their ages and said, “I was very excited about it. The last time India had a Miss Universe was Lara Dutta in the year 2000. That was the year that I won Miss World as well. She has brought home the crown after 21 years and she is 21, so she was born in the year that I won Miss World.”
Interestingly, Lara also made the same observation and penned down a heartfelt note for Harnaaz on her Instagram handle. She wrote in the caption, “My dearest @harnaazsandhu_03 , when I spoke to you yesterday, you promised me that ‘it will be worth it’!! YOU are worth all your triumphant glory and much, much more!! You had an unshakeable belief in yourself and JUST KNEW, you were born for this!! You were born in the year I won Miss Universe!!! 😅. That’s how long we’ve waited for you to come along and lift that crown once more for India!! Perhaps, it was destined!!”
Wow, while we knew that we were waiting for this iconic win, we surely did not know that we had been waiting for it for so long—more than two decades! Well, we defs have Harnaaz to thank for making it possible and wish her the brightest career ahead. Lara and PC did the same and during a media interaction, the latter said, “I’m so excited for her and I hope this is the beginning of an incredible journey. She’s very smart and gorgeous, obviously, and I’m very excited for her.”
We cannot wait to see all the new projects Harnaaz has planned for herself and wonder if she will make her entry into Bollywood soon. Well, a star is born and we’re so excited to find out what happens next.
Featured Image: Instagram
