'Is This How Former Miss Universe Behaves?': Sushmita Sen Accused Of 'Ignoring' Winner Kaziah Liz Mejo, Favouring 1st Runner-Up In Viral Video

A moment from the Miss Universe India 2026 finale has sparked an unexpected online debate, with Sushmita Sen facing criticism over her interaction with the newly crowned winner Kaziah Liz Mejo. A viral video has led some viewers to question whether the former Miss Universe appeared more supportive of the first runner-up.

Did Sushmita Sen 'ignore' Miss Universe India 2026 winner Kaziah Liz Mejo?

The Miss Universe India 2026 finale was held in Jaipur on August 23, where Kaziah Liz Mejo from Kerala won the title. Vaishnavi Gannesh, meanwhile, finished as the first runner-up and was also named Miss International India 2026.

On August 24, Instagram page Majestic Moments shared a video from the event that has since triggered the discussion. In the clip, Sushmita can be seen approaching Kaziah and briefly congratulating the newly crowned winner. However, their interaction lasts only a few seconds before Sushmita turns her attention towards Vaishnavi.

She is then seen comforting Vaishnavi and helping adjust her crown. Sushmita takes the Miss International India crown off Vaishnavi's head, places it back and appears to fix it properly. Other personalities, including Celina Jaitly and Urvashi Rautela, can also be seen cheering during the moment.

The clip later shows Sushmita walking past Kaziah again, which led some social media users to interpret the interaction as a sign of favouritism.

Watch the video below:

Internet questions Sushmita's reaction

The video quickly divided viewers, with several users saying they were disappointed by what they perceived as a lack of enthusiasm towards Kaziah.

One person questioned, “Sushmita going to the other girl first, it definitely felt a bit off. Shouldn't you always congratulate the actual winner first before moving to anyone else?”

Another wrote, “Is this really how a former Miss Universe should behave? I’m disappointed by Sushmita’s attitude. Kaziah truly deserved the crown; she worked hard and earned her place.”

A third user called the behaviour "extremely immature and unprofessional", adding that someone who acts that way perhaps should not be a judge. Another commenter simply wrote, “I didn't expect this from Sushmita Sen.”

Not everyone interpreted the clip negatively. Some users appeared to support Sushmita's interaction with Vaishnavi and suggested that she was consoling her.

"Vaishnavi was crying and Sushmita was clearly trying to console her. Also, her crown didn't sit properly because of the hair bun. Manika, if I remember, was trying to look for pins to fix the crown in place but the team didn't have any," expressed a user.

One commenter wrote, “A Miss Universe is Miss Universe. Thank you, Sushmita mam, for letting us know how they cooked the entire thing. We all know what happened.” Another said, “Sushmita is letting the world know who the real Miss Universe is.”