Disha Patani at 33, arrived in Mumbai with just ₹500: Struggled to even pay rent

Disha Patani is considered one of the fittest and most glamorous actresses in Bollywood. Known for her bold style and fashionable looks, many even call her the "National Crush." She won hearts with her role as Priyanka Jha in M.S. Dhoni: The Untold Story, and gained popularity with films like Malang, Bharat, and Radhe.

On the special occasion of her birthday, let’s take a closer look at her life:

Disha Patani was born on June 13, 1992, in Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh. She belongs to a Kumaoni Rajput family. Her father, Jagdish Singh Patani, served as a DSP in the UP Police, and her mother is a health department officer. Her elder sister, Khushboo Patani, is a former Major in the Indian Army, and she also has a younger brother named Suryansh.

Disha Patani once described herself as a 'tomboy'.

While many people see Disha Patani as a fashion icon, she herself refuses to accept that label. In an interview with Rediff, she said, "I'm a bit of a tomboy. As a child, I had an army haircut and looked like a boy." She also shared that she prefers wearing comfortable clothes like basketball shorts, loose hoodies, and t-shirts.

Disha was academically bright from the beginning. She started pursuing engineering in Biotechnology at Amity University, Lucknow, but dropped out in her second year to try her luck in the world of glamour.

In a 2018 interview with Hindustan Times, Disha Patani recalled her early struggles and said, “I’m a very positive person. Maybe I wasn’t ready at that time. I had left my studies midway and moved to Mumbai. For a college girl, coming to a new city without knowing anyone wasn’t easy. I was living alone, earning my own money, and never asked my family for financial help. I came to Mumbai with just ₹500, and after some time, I had nothing left.”

She further added, “I used to go for a lot of auditions, mostly for TV commercials. There was constant pressure on me—if I didn’t get work this month, how would I pay the rent? At that time, any work I got was just a job, until I eventually fell in love with acting.”

Disha also mentioned that she faced many rejections in the beginning of her career. She was even removed from her first film. However, she believes that every rejection makes a person stronger.