Diya Mirza Handrich or Dia Mirza , nicknamed Dee, (born 9 December 1981 in Hyderabad,Andhra Pradesh, India) is an Indian model and actress and Miss Asia Pacific for the year 2000. She was also second runner up in the Miss India 2000 beauty contest.
Biography
Her father Frank Handrich 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 been brought up in a Muslim household, she does not consider herself a Muslim; and says she believes in Ganesha. 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 R. Madhavan. The film was not a box office success. A series of unsuccessful films followed, among them Tumsa Nahin Dekha and Deewaanapan.
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 successful film Lage Raho Munna Bhai. She also played in the music video Kajara Mohabbat Wala from Sonu Nigam album Kajara Nite.
She has also appeared in Dus and in Fight Club. She will appear later this year in Familywala and Naa Naa Karte.
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
2001 Deewaanapan Kiran Choudhary
2001 Rehna Hai Tere Dil Mein Reena Malhotra
2002 Tumko Na Bhool Paayenge Muskaan
2003 Tehzeeb Nazneen Jamal
2003 Pran Jaaye Par Shaan Na Jaaye Saundarya
2003 Dum Kaveri
2004 Stop! Shama
2004 Tumsa Nahin Dekha Jiya
2004 Kyun…! Ho Gaya Na Preeti Special Appearance
2005 Naam Gum Jaayega Natasha/Gitanjali
2005 Blackmail Anjali
2005 Fight Club – Members Only Anu Chopra
2005 Parineeta Gayatri Tantiya ||
2005 Dus Anu Dheer
2005 Koi Mera Dil Mein Hain Simran
2006 Phir Hera Pheri Item number (song)
2006 Alag Apurva Rana
2006 Lage Raho Munna Bhai Simran
2006 Prateeksha Reena J. Brown TV release
2007 Honeymoon Travels Pvt. Ltd. Shilpa
2007 Shootout at Lokhandwala Mita Matu Post-Production
2007 Dus Kahaniyaan Blind School Teacher Announced
2007 Alibaug Announced
2007 Naa Naa Karte Announced
2007 Familywala (Earlier name ‘Dil Sachcha Aur Chehra Jhootha’) To Be Released April 2007
2007 Bidhaatar Lekha Ria Announced
2007 Kabhi Bhi Kahin Bhi Pre-Production
2007 Kayanaat Announced
2007 Bits & Pieces Announced
2007 Aankh Micholi Announced
2007 Cash Announced
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.
Has played with Arjun Rampal in six movies: Deewaanapan (2001), Tehzeeb (2003), Alag (2006), where Rampal has a Special Appearance, Familywala (2006), Dus Kahaniyaan (2006) and Honeymoon Travels Pvt. Ltd. (2006).
