Dia Mirza, Priyanka Chopra, and Lara Dutta began their journey in the world of glam and glitz at the same time. They even won international beauty pageants in the same year. It was in 2000 when Priyanka was crowned the Miss World title, Lara bagged the Miss Universe crown, and Dia clinched the Miss Asia Pacific title. However, their early days in the Hindi film industry were far from being smooth.
In a recent interview to Zoom, Dia reflected on the time they all stepped into the spotlight together. She shared how Priyanka got support from her family while she and Lara were on their own. “Priyanka still had some support from her parents, but Lara and I didn't. Lara was already living here because she was modelling."
(Also Read: Dia Mirza's Beauty Priorities Feature A Sun-Kissed Glow And Strawberry Lips)
Dia continued, “She (Lara) had opened her heart to me and shared her apartment, which was the size of a matchbox. I remember helping her pack for her Miss Universe and going away,” adding, “We (me and Lara) shared Wai Wai noodles, we had no money.”
Dia Mirza was asked about the constant comparisons between herself, Lara Dutta and Priyanka Chopra. She added, “Naturally, there was a lot of comparison.” When Priyanka and Lara made their acting debut in the 2003 film Andaz, Dia already had three flops on her list. But Dia clarified that these comparisons never affected their friendship.
Reflecting on the time when they would pose in fancy gowns at events and eat instant noodles back home, she quipped, “We would both laugh hysterically like just look at us ‘Bhaade ke kapde (rented clothes)'. ‘Hum kitne glamorous lag rahe hain par bank men paise nahi hain (We look so glamorous but we have no money in the bank.)',” adding, “Because that's all we could afford.”
Dia Mirza continued that Priyanka Chopra was doing “extraordinarily well” right from the beginning. The actress added, “She had other battles to fight and deal with, and she continued to, and some of those just intensified with time but she was doing really well and so, one only had awe and respect for that. You kind of looked at it and said, ‘What incredible confidence'. I remember thinking to myself – ‘If I was half the actor she is, how much further I would be able to go.'”
“Even in Priyanka's situation…she had solid support, and her parents were very involved, especially her brother and mother were very involved,” she concluded, while mentioning that in contrast, she and Lara never borrowed any money from their parents.
(Also Read: Pageant Queens In Pastel: Lara, Priyanka, Dia, Aishwarya And Sushmita)
