The year 2000 was a landmark one for India’s beauty pageant history. Three young women — Priyanka Chopra, Lara Dutta and Dia Mirza — stepped into the limelight and captured not only crowns but also the imagination of millions. What followed was a story of friendship, fame, films and controversies that still fascinate people more than two decades later.
Priyanka Chopra, just 17 and hailing from Bareilly, stunned the world when she won the Miss World crown. Lara Dutta, with her elegance and confidence, secured the Miss Universe title on May 12, 2000. Meanwhile, Dia Mirza who had finished as runner-up in Miss India went on to represent India at Miss Asia Pacific and brought home that crown too. It was a rare moment when three women from the same pageant season went on to win international glory.
The trio also shared a close bond. Lara and Dia once lived together in a Mumbai flat, while Priyanka affectionately referred to Lara as “mother”. Years later, in a conversation with Simi Grewal, Priyanka recalled being just a teenager when she arrived in Mumbai for Miss World. She said that Lara’s caring nature made her feel protected and that’s why she often called her “Mom”.
Bollywood came calling soon after. Dia Mirza was the first to debut, starring opposite R. Madhavan in Rehnaa Hai Terre Dil Mein (2001). Though the film struggled at the box office, its television reruns made it a cult classic. Priyanka and Lara entered together in 2003 with Andaaz which also featured Akshay Kumar. The film was a hit and opened doors for both the actresses.
Their careers, however, took different turns. Priyanka Chopra quickly rose to become one of the most versatile and bankable stars of Bollywood with hits like Mujhse Shaadi Karogi, Don, Krrish, Barfi, Bajirao Mastani and many more. She later crossed over to Hollywood and at the height of her career, she shifted to the United States after marrying American actor-singer Nick Jonas in 2018. Their lavish Udaipur wedding drew global attention. Priyanka’s personal life too had its share of headlines, with filmmaker Prahlad Kakkar acknowledging her much-discussed past affair in the industry.
Lara Dutta, born in 1978 to a Punjabi father and an Anglo-Indian mother, came from a disciplined background, her father was a Wing Commander in the Indian Air Force. The family moved from Ghaziabad to Bengaluru in 1981. Lara enjoyed steady success in Bollywood with films such as Bhagam Bhaag, Partner, Blue, and Don 2. Eventually, she stepped away from the limelight. In her personal life, she married tennis ace Mahesh Bhupathi in 2011. Bhupathi had divorced his first wife Shvetha Jaishankar after seven years of marriage and soon after, Lara announced her pregnancy which she had conceived before the wedding.
Dia Mirza’s journey was different. Despite her charm, her film career never truly took off. Her personal life, however, kept her in the news. She first married producer Sahil Sangha in 2014, a relationship that began in 2009 but ended in divorce by 2019. In February 2021, she married businessman Vaibhav Rekhi and soon announced her pregnancy which also preceded the wedding.
Looking back, the year 2000 was more than just a pageant triumph, it was the beginning of three intertwined yet very distinct stories. Priyanka became a global icon, Lara chose a quieter path after early stardom and Dia found her own balance between personal happiness and professional presence. Together, their journeys remind us that while crowns may open doors, life beyond them is shaped by choices, challenges and destiny.
