The year 2000 was a game-changer for Indian beauty contests. All three finalists from Miss India ended up snagging international titles that year. Lara Dutta took home the Miss Universe crown, Priyanka Chopra became Miss World, and Dia Mirza rounded it all off with the Miss Asia Pacific title. This led to a lot of comparisons between them. In a recent chat, Dia talked about those comparisons and highlighted how each of them has successfully forged their own unique careers in acting.

Dia Mirza talks about being compared to Lara Dutta and Priyanka Chopra

Back when Priyanka was still a teenager, Dia and Lara were already in their early 20s. Dia shared with Zoom how their journeys were quite different, saying, “Priyanka had some parental support, while Lara and I were on our own. Lara was already living in Mumbai for her modeling career, and she opened her tiny apartment to me. I remember helping her pack for Miss Universe before she left. Priyanka was really thriving right from the start. She had her own challenges to face, which only got tougher over time, but she was doing amazing. I had so much admiration for her. I often thought, 'Wow, if I could be half the actress she is, imagine how far I could go.'"

Dia pointed out that for her and Lara, money was tight while they were trying to make it in Mumbai. "Lara and I would share Wai Wai noodles because we were broke. We worked as models and saved every penny. We didn’t rely on our parents for anything. Even though Priyanka had strong support from her family, we were just getting by with what we earned. There were times when our savings ran out, and bills were piling up. We’d be in these fancy gowns coming back from events, but we’d still choose Wai Wai because that was all we could afford,” she reminisced.

Eventually, Dia noted that both Lara and Priyanka found success in acting with Andaz, even while she was still figuring things out. However, she mentioned that as time went on, they each carved out their own paths, and the comparisons faded away.

Dia Mirza's latest projects

Dia's latest appearance was in Nadaaniyan, where she took on the role of Ibrahim Ali Khan's mom. This film was Ibrahim's first acting gig and also featured Khushi Kapoor, Mahima Chaudhry, Suniel Shetty, and Jugal Hansraj. It hit Netflix on March 7 but didn't get the best reviews overall.

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