From being Miss Universe to being a mother, Lara Dutta has proved her journey to be mind-boggling. Today is her day that welcomes another delightful year of her life as she turns 41 today. This colossal day is special not only for her but for all of us. So, on this special day let’s rewind on her incredible life journey.

It all embarked in the year 1997 for the scintillating beauty when she was crowned Miss Intercontinental 1997. This title was a stepping stone towards something major and that happened when she was crowned Miss Universe 2000 with pride and honour as she became the second woman from India to bring country this prestigious crown. Post her colossal victory, she started receiving film offers from Bollywood to which she finally signed a film ‘Andaaz’ and marked her debut opposite Akshay Kumar. Once again, she received a bunch of success as the movie got nominated for Filmfare award which she won for the best debut.

Subsequent to her debut, she acted in some other typical Bollywood masala films such as Masti, No Entry, Partner, Housefull, Singh is Bling and many more. Just like pageantry, she gained good fame in Bollywood as she became one of the sensational faces of Bollywood and found a sturdy foothold in the industry.

Apart from her cinema life, Lara is engaged in various social issues as well. The beauty was appointed as a UNFPA Goodwill Ambassador in 2001. She also released her own DVD that consists of prenatal routines and meditation techniques.

All this while, she forged a strong army of her fans in the Bollywood industry as well as the pageantry. September 2010 brought immense happiness in her life as she got engaged to the Indian ace tennis player Mahesh Bhupathi and the couple tied the knot on 16th February 2011 in a civil ceremony in Bandra. After a year, the couple was blessed with a baby girl, who they named Saira. From being a beauty queen to being a mother, that’s how Lara Dutta maintained the balance between her professional and personal life.