BornDia Handrich
9 December 1981 (age 35)[1][2]
Hyderabad, Telangana, IndiaResidenceMumbai, Maharashtra, IndiaOccupationModel, actor, film producerYears active2000–presentHeight5 ft 6 in (1.68 m)[3]Title(s)Miss Asia Pacific 2000
Femina Miss India Asia Pacific 2000Major
competition(s)Femina Miss India 2000
(Femina Miss India Asia Pacific 2000)
(Miss Beautiful Smile)
Miss Asia Pacific 2000
(Winner)
(Miss Close-Up Smile)
(Miss AVON)SpouseSahil Sangha (m. 2014)
Early and personal life
Mirza was born in India. Her father, Frank Handrich, was a German graphic and industrial fair designer, architect, artist and interior designer based in Munich. Her mother, Deepa, is an Indian Bengali who is an interior designer, landscaper and currently does social work as a volunteer to help alcoholics and drug addicts. When Dia was four-and-a-half years old, her parents got divorced.[6][7]Immediately afterwards, her mother married Ahmed Mirza, a Telugu man from Hyderabad, and Dia (then only a toddler) was given the surname of her step-father. Dia's step-father died in 2003.[6]
When living in Khairatabad, Hyderabad city, Dia initially attended Vidyaranya High School, a co-ed school. On the insistence of her step-father, Dia was enrolled into Nasr School, a prestigious girls day school also located in Khairtabad. She credits Nasr School for giving her the confidence and to pursue acting. She says it was the Nasr Dramatic Society, an in-school club which boosted her morale. After finishing school, Dia attended Stanley Junior College and completed her graduation in Bachelor of Arts from Ambedkar Open University, Hyderabad.[8]
In April 2014, she got engaged to her longtime business partner Sahil Sangha. Mirza and Sangha got married on 18 October 2014 at her husband's sprawling farmhouse in Chattarpur on the outskirts of Delhi.
Dia Mirza worked while in college as a marketing executive for a media firm, Neeraj's Multi-media Studio[citation needed]. At the same time she modeled for print and TV commercials for brands like Lipton, Wall's ice cream, Emami and many more. She won Miss Asia Pacific in 2000.
Mirza wanted to complete her graduation in Arts by correspondenn the Miss Asia Pacific competition, modelling assignments, travelling and training. She could not complete her graduation due to being busy at work. She studied at NYU[citation needed].
She debuted through Rehnaa Hai Terre Dil Mein which could not do well at the box office. Then she appeared in movies like Dum,Deewanapan, Tumko Na Bhool Paayenge,Tumsa Nahin Dekha – A Love Story, Parineeta,Dus, Lage Raho Munnabhai, "Salam Mumbai".
She has garnered a lot of praise for her social work. She got an IIFA 2012 Green Award for her contribution towards green environment. She has done awareness campaigns on prevention of female foeticide, HIV awareness, the Cancer Patients Aid Association, PETA, ADAPT, CRY. She publicly supported the Naramada Bachao Andolan. She has written articles for Hindustan Timesand other publications.
