Celina Jaitly found herself back in the spotlight years after her beauty-pageant debut when an old video from Femina Miss India 2001 resurfaced online. The clip, recorded more than two decades ago, showed a young Celina answering a question from former India captain Sourav Ganguly. Her unexpected response soon became the focus of renewed online attention.
Far from being a new or leaked recording, the footage is archival video from the pageant, which Celina herself later shared on social media.
What Did Celina Jaitly Say In The Viral Video?
In the clip, Ganguly asks Celina a hypothetical question: if she were born again, who would she want to be and why? Celina replied that she would want to be Dr BR Ambedkar, citing his knowledge, philosophy, social reforms and his role in the making of India’s Constitution.
She also expressed admiration for the lasting impact of his work, saying she wished she could have written the Constitution so that people would remember her in the same way. The unusual answer stood out because it came during a beauty pageant, where contestants were typically expected to discuss more conventional subjects.
Why Did Celina Jaitly’s Old Video Resurface?
The clip began circulating widely online in 2025, more than 20 years after it was recorded. Celina later brought the footage back herself on Ambedkar Jayanti in April 2025, giving the old video a fresh context. Sharing the clip, Celina spoke about her family’s connection with Mhow, Madhya Pradesh, the birthplace of Dr Ambedkar, and reflected on how his legacy had influenced her.
That detail also helped explain why her answer from the pageant had remained meaningful to her decades later.
Celina Jaitly’s Journey From Miss India To Bollywood
Celina won Femina Miss India Universe 2001 and went on to represent India at Miss Universe that year, finishing as the fourth runner-up. Her pageant victory eventually opened the door to Bollywood. She made her Hindi film debut with Janasheen in 2003 and later appeared in films including No Entry, Apna Sapna Money Money, Golmaal Returns and Thank You.
Over the years, Celina has also spoken about her work beyond cinema, including her involvement with humanitarian and equality-related causes. Her old pageant answer, however, offered an unusually early glimpse into the ideas she admired long before the clip became a social-media talking point.