Dia Mirza ran for Miss India pagaent after a modelling agent spotted her at 16

Dia Mirza competed in the prestigious Miss India beauty pageant almost twenty years ago. Looking back at the surreal journey, the actress revealed her thoughts, two decades on.

"It feels almost surreal to look back 20 years. I was so young when it all happened," she said. "The year 2000 marked a new millennium, bringing with it a sense of hope, promise and excitement," Mirza added.

Explaining how she accidentally ran for the contest after being randomly spotted by a modelling agent, the starlet said, "I happened to be spotted by a modelling agent who offered me a part-time job at 16. Everything happened very quickly after that - advertising campaigns, fashion shows, editorial shoots. One thing led to another and I was selected from Hyderabad for the Miss India pageant," she recalled.

"I remember my mother being really surprised that I wanted to take part!"

The Sanju actress added how she adapted to life in Mumbai, never having left Hyderabad before.

"It was a journey that brought love and encouragement, but was still very daunting to be go through alone. As an individual, I have never believed in competition, so for me it was about putting my best foot forward, enjoying myself and learning as much as I could," she said.

Mirza was the second runner-up at Miss India 2000 and later won Miss Asia Pacific.

Opening up about the feeling and chaos of the winning moment, she added, "We were announced the winners, crowned, wore our sashes, took that final walk, and had thousands of lights and cameras flashing in front of us - through all of that, I remember thinking 'where are my parents? I want to meet them'! In that moment I truly realised how happiness can be truly cherished when you have your family to share it with."

On the one thing that has stayed with her through since then, she shared: "Be yourself. Staying authentic and speaking my truth was what set me apart then and continues to define me even now," Mirza concluded.