‘Abba had penned this on a card’: Dia Mirza turns emotional as she relives winning Miss Asia Pacific title 20 years ago
Dia Mirza sets all daddy’s girls relating as she recalls how her father had motivated the ‘wide-eyed 18-year-old’ to win the Miss Asia Pacific International crown two decades ago, shares inspiring advice to amp up our energies and work towards our dreams with rejuvenated enthusiasm
It was an evening in December 2020 when Dia Mirza brought laurels to the country after being crowned the Miss Asia Pacific International. This was no small feat for the 18-year-old who had never travelled abroad before and 20 years after winning the International beauty pageant, Dia turned emotional as she recalled the historic moment.
Taking to her Instagram handle, the Bollywood star shared snippets from the crowning moment that changed her whole world. Recalling her initially modeling days that led to the pageant, Dia revealed, “At 16, I was scouted by a modeling agent and that led to the pageant. Looking back, winning felt like transitioning from my old life to a new one. I was still the same but everything else had changed. As I think back to those times it seems like it was all meant to happen.”
Talking about her career graph henceforth, the Rehnaa Hai Terre Dil Mein star shared, “Over the years the roles I have taken on have been myriad – from actor to producer to activist and change-maker.” Amping up our energies to work towards our dreams with rejuvenated enthusiasm, Dia advised, “Believe in yourself, be authentic and trust life. Always know that a bigger force is at work to take you towards a higher purpose where you can make a positive difference, somehow.”
At the peak of nostalgia, Dia shared how her “Abba” Frank Handrich had written down the lines, from Robert Frost’s famous poem ‘Walking by the woods on a snowy evening’, in a card that sat by her bedside table as she contested for the crown. The lines read, “The woods are lovely, dark and deep, But I have promises to keep, And miles to go before I sleep, And miles to go before I sleep.”
The UN Environment Goodwill Ambassador quipped, “I would read these words every night before i slept. These words have continued to motivate me till this day (sic).”
She concluded by writing, “Cannot believe it’s been 20 years roughly about this time in the evening that i won the title of Miss Asia Pacific for India! So grateful to every single person that has contributed to my growth (sic).” Quick to respond, Dia’s industry friends and colleagues instantly emptied their stash of love in the comments section.
Dia Mirza became the first Indian, since Tara Anne Fonseca, to win the Miss Asia Pacific title on December 3, 2000 in Manila, the Philippines. It was after 27 years that an Indian had won this International beauty pageant. She was last seen in Anubha Sinha-directorial Thappad.
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