Dia Mirza Handrich, formerly known as Diya Mirza or Dia Mirza , nicknamed Dee, (born 9 December 1981 in Hyderabad, India) is an Indian model and actress.

She took part in the Miss India 2000 beauty contest and was second runner up. She then went on to win the Miss Asia Pacific 2000 contest.

Biography

Her father was a German interior designer; her mother is Deepa Mirza, a Bengali. They separated when she was six years old. Her father died when she was nine and her mother remarried: Ahmed Mirza whose surname she took, died in 2004 Though she has a Muslim name, she is a Hindu, and a follower of Ganesh When living in Khairatabad, Hyderabad, she attended the Vidyaranya, a school based on the teachings of Krishnamurti, and later Nasr School, in Kushnuma. Currently, she lives in Bandra, Mumbai.

Career

She made her cinematic debut with Rehnaa Hai Terre Dil Mein opposite Madhavan. The film was not a box office success. A series of unsuccessful films followed, among them Tumsa Nahin Dekha and Deewanapan.

In 2005, Mirza appeared in Parineeta, a Vidhu Vinod Chopra production. In 2006 she teamed up once again with Chopra and Sanjay Dutt for the film Lage Raho Munna Bhai.

She has also appeared in Dus and in Fight Club. She will appear later this year in Alag and Kabhi Bhi Kahin Bhi.

Controversies

Mirza's car was seized in 2006 for alleged evasion of custom duties.
Also in 2006, she and fellow-actor Aamir Khan publicly expressed support for the Narmada Bachao Andolan, a group protesting the building of a dam. This aroused the ire of Hindutva activists from the BJP, who led a protest march against the actress.

Filmography

Year Title Role Other notes
2006 Shootout at Lokhandwala Announced[8]
2006 Dus Kahaniya Announced[9]
2006 Alibag Announced [10]
2006 Naa Naa Karte Announced
2006 Familywala (Earlier name 'Dil Sachcha Aur Chehra Jhootha') To Be Released
2006 Honeymoon Travels Pvt Limited Filming
2006 Bidhaatar Lekha Ria Announced
2006 Lage Raho Munna Bhai Simran
2006 Prateeksha Rina TV release
2006 Kabhi Bhi Kahin Bhi Pre-Production
2006 Alag Apurva Rana Released
2006 Phir Hera Pheri Special Appearance (song)
2006 Fight Club Annu
2005 Dus Anu Dheer
2005 Parineeta Gayatri Tantiya
2005 Koi Mera Dil Mein Hain Simran
2005 Naam Gum Jaayega Natasha/Gitanjali
2005 Blackmail Anjali
2004 Stop! Shama
2004 Tumsa Nahin Dekha Jiya
2004 Kyun...! Ho Gaya Na Preeti Special Appearance
2003 Tehzeeb Nazneen Jamal
2003 Pran Jaaye Par Shaan Na Jaaye Saundarya
2003 Dum Kaveri
2002 Tumko Na Bhool Paayenge Muskaan
2001 Deewaanapan Kiran Choudhary
2001 Rehna Hai Tere Dil Mein Reena Malhotra


Major Television Appearances

Date Channel Programm Role
May 3, 2006 Goddess Festival Channel V
May 13, 2006 Indian Idol 2 Sony India Guest Judge
February 2006 The Man's World AXN
January 2006 Mein Hoon with Fawd Khan Zoom
December 2005 Zee Tvs Saregama ZEE TV
2005 Mein Hoon with Makeup artist ZOOM
2005 Mein Hoon with Pradeep Sarkar ZOOM
2005 Mein Hoon with Ganesh ZOOM
2005 Just Pooja ZOOM
2005 Fame Gurukul Sony India Guest Judge

Trivia

Though her name is spelled Dia, she is credited in most movies as Diya. She says that her name was misspelt in her passport.
She owns a dog, a Labrador retriever named Sultan.
Has played with Arjun Rampal in seven movies: Deewanapan (2001), Tehzeeb (2003), Alag, where they both had a Special Appearance, Familywala (2006), Dus Kahaniyaan (2006), Honeymoon Travels Pvt. Ltd. (2006) and Shootout at Lokhandwala (2006).