Mumbai, May 13
It has been 25 years since Lara Dutta brought home the Miss Universe crown. However, May 12 holds a lot of memories for the diva as it happens to be her father's birthday.
Lara decided the mark the day with a puja ceremony with her parents. She took to her Instagram handle and shared a couple of sneak peeks from the puja, along with some throwback images from the pageant.
Thanking everyone for the love she has received over the years, Lara also penned a heartfelt note saying, "Yesterday was a day of roller coaster emotions….. the 12th of May…….. a significant day in my life! Not just my Dad's birthday, but also the day I won Miss Universe 25 years ago!. Time certainly flies!!! Marked the day yesterday with a puja to celebrate my father’s life…… knowing full well how fleeting and fragile life is, it’s important to acknowledge and be grateful for the gifts the universe bestows upon us.. Thank you for the love and for your companionship over the last 25 years!"
Back in 2000, Lara created history by becoming the second Indian to win the Miss Universe, after Sushmita Sen, who bagged the title in 1994.
After this, Lara went on to become a part of several Bollywood projects, including "Masti" (2004), "No Entry" (2005), "Bhagam Bhag" (2006), "Partner" (2007), "Housefull" (2010), and "Chalo Dilli" (2011), among others.
On the work front, Lara has been roped in for the highly-awaited drama, “Welcome to the Jungleâ€. The sequel will mark her reunion with Akshay Kumar after the 2021 drama “Bell Bottom.â€
Helmed by Ahmed Khan, the project boasts an ensemble cast featuring Raveena Tandon, Suniel Shetty, Disha Patani, Aftab Shivdasani, Jacqueline Fernandez, Arshad Warsi, and Tusshar Kapoor, along with others.
— IANS
Reader Comments
Lara Dutta is such an inspiration! Remember watching her win Miss Universe as a kid and feeling so proud 🇮🇳. Her humility in remembering her roots and doing puja with family is heartwarming. Can't wait to see her in Welcome to the Jungle!
25 years already? Time flies! Lara and Sushmita really put India on global map for beauty pageants. Though I feel current generation doesn't value these achievements as much as we did in 90s. Still, she's maintained grace throughout her career ðŸ‘
Beautiful to see her celebrating with traditional puja. So Indian at heart despite global fame! Though I wish she had done more meaningful roles in Bollywood after such a prestigious win. Most of her films were just commercial potboilers.
That throwback picture gave me nostalgia! 2000 was such simpler time. Lara's note about life being fragile is so true - we should all take time to appreciate our blessings like she does. Also excited for her comeback with Akshay Kumar!
As someone who participated in college pageants, I know how much hard work goes into it. Lara's achievement was no small feat! Her journey from beauty queen to Bollywood to now being a mother and entrepreneur is truly inspiring for Indian women ✨
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