Harnaaz Sandhu, who brought the prestigious Miss Universe crown back to India after almost two decades, has been on the receiving end of praise and congratulations showered by proud Indian fans. The 21-year-old Chandigarh-based model/actress, who aspires to become a successful actress in future, recently revealed that she is irked by trolls, who claim her Miss Universe win thanks to her ‘pretty face’.

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In a recent conversation with Mid-Day, Harnaaz said, “There are a lot of people who say I won because I have a pretty face. But I know the amount of effort that went behind it. Instead of indulging in arguments, I’d rather work hard to make them realise. This is the stereotype that I want to break.” Furthermore, she added, “This is a lot like an Olympic win. When we appreciate a sports person, who represents the country, why can’t we appreciate beauty pageant winners? However, mindsets are changing, and I am happy to be breaking stereotypes.”

Sandhu became the third Indian to win the coveted Miss Universe title after Sushmita Sen (1994) and Lara Dutta (2000). The 21-year-old beauty has won many pageants in the domestic circuit, has featured in a Punjabi movie and even made her television debut with ‘Udaariyaan’ before winning the Miss Universe title in Eilat, Israel, earlier this month.

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Apart from expressing her desire to join the DC Universe as Catwoman, the Miss Universe 2021 winner even expressed her fondness for Priyanka Chopra in a recent interview. Talking about the global sensation, Sandhu revealed that Priyanka has been a huge inspiration and one day she would love to star in her biopic.

Sandhu, who already has two projects lined up, also expressed her wish to ‘break stereotypes’ with her on-screen performances in the same interview. She said, “I don’t want to be a normal actress. I want to be one of those who are very influential, and who break stereotypes by choosing strong characters, being wise and inspirational.”

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