Dia Mirza recalls struggles: Priyanka had help, Lara and I had empty banks

Photo: Instagram/@culturegully

Dia Mirza recently opened up about her early struggles, recalling how she and Lara Dutta shared a tiny apartment and survived on instant noodles during their modelling days. This was a time when they had little money and no support from their families. In contrast, Priyanka Chopra, another finalist in the Miss India 2000 pageant, had her parents’ support as she began her career.

Dia, Lara, and Priyanka all went on to win major beauty pageants, but the road to success wasn’t the same for all of them. While Priyanka had some backing from her family, Dia and Lara had to manage on their own. Lara had already settled in the city, working as a model, and generously offered to share her small apartment with Dia. Dia fondly remembered the time, calling it "the size of a matchbox."

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Despite the challenges, Dia had a lot of respect for Priyanka, who was excelling from the beginning of her career. "Priyanka was doing extraordinarily well, almost from the get-go," Dia said. "She had other challenges to deal with, but she was doing great. I remember thinking, 'If I were half the actress she is, I’d be so much further ahead.'"

But it wasn’t always glamorous for Dia and Lara. They struggled to make ends meet, often eating instant noodles because they didn’t have enough money for anything else. "We shared Wai Wai noodles because we had no money. Lara and I worked as models and saved what we could. We didn’t ask our parents for help," Dia shared. They even had days when their savings ran out, and they couldn’t afford anything but the noodles.

Despite the tough times, Dia and Lara managed to keep their spirits up, often laughing about their situation. "We would sit in these expensive gowns after fancy events and laugh, saying, 'Look at us, wearing rented clothes, looking glamorous, but with no money in the bank,'" Dia recalled.

Things started to change for them once they entered Bollywood. After winning the Miss Asia Pacific title, Dia's career took off, and she went on to star in popular films like Rehnaa Hai Terre Dil Mein, Tumko Na Bhool Paayenge, and Lage Raho Munna Bhai. Today, Dia's story serves as an inspiration, showing how hard work and perseverance can turn struggles into success.