Diya Mirza was born, as Diya Mirza Handrich on 9 December 1981. She is one of the most flawless beauties among the Indian models and actresses. Dia Mirza was honored with the title of Miss Asia Pacific for the year 2000 and also the second runner up in the Miss India 2000 beauty contest. Frank Handrich, her father was a German interior designer and her mother Deepa Mirza is a Bengali. Her parents separated when she was only six years old. Dia Mirza lost her father when she was nine and her mother again married Ahmed Mirza.

Dia Mirza retained a Muslim name (Mirza), in spite of being a devout Hindu. She spent her childhood in Khairatabad, Hyderabad and attended Vidyaranya High School For Boys And Girls, a school based on the teachings of Jiddu Krishnamurti. She completed her schooling from Nasr School, in Kushnuma. She underwent one-week course of Film at New York University. Presently, Dia Mirza lives in Bandra, Mumbai.

Dia Mirza first came into limelight due to her fashion shows and then Miss Asia Pacific Competition, modeling assignments, traveling and training. Sabira Merchant aided her on articulation and etiquette; Anjali Mukherjee trained her on diet, while Talwalkars looked after physical fitness. Ritu Kumar and Hemant Trivedi looked after her wardrobe, while Dr. Jamuna Pai did her skin care. Bharat and Doris Godambe did her make-up and hair-care. Dia Mirza is a linguist and proficient in Urdu, Bengali, Hindi, English.

Dia Mirza made her cinematic debut with the romantic film Rehnaa Hai Terre Dil Mein opposite R. Madhavan. A series of films followed; among them notable ones are Tumsa Nahin Dekha and Deewaanapan. In 2005, Mirza appeared in a Vidhu Vinod Chopra production Parineeta. She also played a part in the music video `Kajara Mohabbat Wala` alongside Sonu Nigam from the album Kajara Nite. The album featured a number of multiple remixes