Dia Mirza recalls sharing noodles with Lara Dutta during pageant days as they had no money

Dia Mirza addressed comparisons between her, Lara, and Priyanka.
She recalled how their journeys differed in terms of financial independence.
She revealed that she and Lara shared noodles because they had no money.

The year 2000 was a landmark for Indian beauty pageants, with all three Miss India winners securing international crowns—Lara Dutta as Miss Universe, Priyanka Chopra as Miss World, and Dia Mirza as Miss Asia Pacific. Naturally, comparisons arose between them. In a recent interview, Dia spoke about their early days, highlighting how their journeys differed, especially in terms of financial independence.

“Priyanka still had some support from her parents, but Lara and I didn’t. Lara was already living here because she was modelling, and she 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,” she revealed.

Recalling their financial struggles in Mumbai, Dia shared, “We (Lara and I) shared Wai Wai noodles because paise nahi the (we had no money). Lara and I modelled and saved that money. Neither of us used any money from our parents. Even in Priyanka’s situation, she had solid support, and her parents were very involved, but with us, we just had what we had earned and saved.”

Dia acknowledged Priyanka’s early success, saying, “She was doing really well. I remember thinking to myself, ‘My God, if I was half the actress she is, how much further I would be able to go.’”

While Lara and Priyanka found success with Andaaz, Dia initially struggled but later found her space in the industry. She was most recently seen in Nadaaniyan, which released on Netflix on March 7.