Sushmita Sen, who became a single mother at 24 when she adopted her daughter Renee Sen in 2000, faced considerable resistance from the film industry. In a recent interview with NDTV, she recounted how her manager abandoned her, claiming that motherhood would jeopardize her career and prevent her from getting even character roles. Despite this setback, Sushmita found success in her career, stating, 'After I became a mother, I gave my biggest hits.' She emphasized her determination to be a self-made woman, rejecting the industry's restrictive norms. Sushmita highlighted that most of the pushback came from women, but she believes attitudes are changing. Her notable films post-adoption include 'Main Hoon Na' (2004) and 'Maine Pyaar Kyun Kiya' (2005). Additionally, Sushmita, who won Miss Universe in 1994, adopted her second daughter, Alisah, in 2010 and made a successful return to acting with the web series 'Aarya' in 2020, which was nominated for an International Emmy.