The audience can’t get enough of her, critics love her, and her co-stars have nothing but great things to say. Disha Patani truly is one of Bollywood’s most loved gals and her rise to fame is a story worth reading.

By Paula Dsouza

Though it may seem like Disha Patani became the talk of the town overnight, the actress and model had a long road to traverse to success. Known for her stunning looks, impeccable fashion sense, and impressive acting skills, Disha has made her mark in the entertainment industry. She has also become a style icon, gracing the covers of top fashion magazines and endorsing some of the biggest brands in the country. Balancing it all with utmost poise while being one of the most humble people in the industry. So what makes Disha Patani more than just another pretty face? Let’s find out!

The Story Begins
The 30-year-old actress was one of three children born into a Rajput family in Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh. Her father Jagadish Singh Patani was a DSP police officer while her mother worked as a health inspector. Her sister Khushboo Patani is a lieutenant in the Indian Army and Disha also has a younger brother, Suryansh Patani. One of the brightest of the lot, Disha pursued a degree in Computer Science and Engineering from Amity University, Lucknow, after finishing her schooling.

In her first year at college, Disha was offered multiple modelling gigs. She subsequently dropped out of her second year to compete in the 2013 Femina Miss India Indore, where she was crowned the first runner-up! She went on to make her film debut in Telugu cinema with the 2015 film ‘Loafer’ alongside Varun Tej. She played the role of Mouni, a young girl who runs away from home to avoid an arranged marriage. The movie, directed by Puri Jagannadh, underperformed at the box office. In 2016, Disha then appeared in a music video titled ‘Befikra’ alongside Tiger Shroff. The video was produced by Bhushan Kumar and Krishan Kumar under T-Series, and composed by Meet Bros. Disha was praised for her exceptional dancing skills.

Rise To Fame
Disha Patani’s breakthrough in Bollywood came with Neeraj Pandey’s biographical sports film, ‘M.S. Dhoni: The Untold Story’, starring opposite the late Sushant Singh Rajput where she played the role of the cricketer’s ex-girlfriend, Priyanka Jha, who tragically died in a car accident. About the film, she said, “I hope Dhoni sees Priyanka in me. I have added my pinch to the character also. I feel you cannot go technical every time and should add a little bit of your own.”

The film was a massive hit. One of the reviews stated: “The performance of Disha in the film deserves a special mention as her performance tugs at your heartstrings.” Disha won many awards for her role in the movie, namely an IFFA Award for Star Debut of the Year (Female), Screen Award for Best Female Debut, and Stardust Award for Best Acting Debut!

Into The Depths
Moving forward, Disha Patani starred in various Bollywood movies. Including the 2018 sequel to ‘Baaghi’ alongside Tiger Shroff and Jacqueline Fernandez called ‘Baaghi 2’. Directed by Ahmed Khan, the film is about an Indian Army officer who sets out to find and rescue his ex-girlfriend’s three-year-old daughter from kidnappers. She also appeared in a music video for a song in the third installment of the ‘Baaghi’ franchise. Four years after the film’s debut, Disha took to Instagram to say: “It doesn’t feel like 4 years that ‘Baaghi 2’ was released, but yesterday. Neha has my heart and the character will live with me forever. The emotions that I went through while essaying the role, I haven’t completely been able to get the character out of my head because she had such intensity in her emotions, in her sadness, her love, everything.”
She went on to star in Jackie Chan’s ‘Kung Fu Yoga’ as Ashmita, alongside Sonu Sood. Incidentally, the film became Jackie Chan’s highest-grossing film in China. Disha was ecstatic to meet the legendary martial arts artist and said, “This was the happiest day of my life!”

She later appeared in the film ‘Bharat’ in 2019, where she played the role of a trapeze artist. She accepted the role, elated and honoured to work with Salman Khan. She eventually reunited with Khan in Prabhu Deva’s action film ‘Radhe’. The movie’s song ‘Seeti Maar’ became a massive hit among Salman and Disha’s fans. Her dedication to her work made an impression on the superstar too. “She is one of the most hardworking and dedicated actresses I have worked with,” Salman revealed.

On A Roll
The actress started 2020 with the release of her film ‘Malang’, where she played the role of Sara, drawing inspiration from Hollywood star Angelina Jolie. She spoke of the film’s success saying, “I’m extremely grateful for the love that the audience has given to ‘Malang’ and my character Sara. It was an absolute treat to work with Mohit Suri sir. ‘Malang’ allowed me to explore myself as an actor and grow more.”
“The whole world feels that Disha is just a pretty face and a hot body. She has something more in her. She’s got a head and heart too. There is a perfect blend of glam quotient and bohemian vibe surrounding the character, both qualities which I could imagine Disha to compliment effortlessly. The response to Disha’s role has been great so far, I’m sure the audience will be able to connect with her even more after watching ‘Malang’,” said director Mohit Suri.

In 2022, she starred in Mohit Suri’s psychological thriller ‘Ek Villain Returns’ alongside John Abraham, Tara Sutaria, and Arjun Kapoor, playing the role of a greedy girl named Rasika. Disha spoke about her role in multiple interviews stating that her character ‘wanted certain things in life’ and would ‘do anything to get them’.

Old Flames And New Loves
Currently rumoured to be dating Aleksandar Ilic, Disha has been linked to various other celebrities in the past. Before dating Tiger Shroff, she was in a relationship with TV star Parth Samthaan. Their relationship reportedly lasted for about a year before the actress ended it. Early this year, Disha and Tiger’s relationship was discussed on ‘Koffee With Karan’ Season 7, where Tiger stated that they were just friends. As for Aleksandar, he certainly checks all the boxes! Not only is he Disha’s gym partner and trainer but also a full-time actor and model. The Serbian national, for the time being, has moved to Mumbai and is shooting a web series called ‘Chameleon’. While neither of them has confirmed their relationship status, they have been spotted together in multiple pictures and reels on social media!

Bright Future
Disha Patani, the rising Bollywood star, has kept herself busy with some exciting projects in the pipeline. She will be seen alongside Sidharth Malhotra in the upcoming film ‘Yodha’, directed by Sagar Ambre and Pushkar Ojha, and produced under Karan Johar’s Dharma Productions. In addition, Disha will also feature in Nag Ashwin’s highly anticipated movie ‘Project K’, alongside Prabhas, Deepika Padukone and Amitabh Bachchan.

From a Computer Science engineer to Bollywood’s current flame, Disha Patani has truly paved her way to fame. What’s her secret? Well, in her words, “I am a big introvert. Be it walking down the ramp or standing in a huge crowd, I get nervous when I am around a lot of people. Especially during fashion shows, I do feel nervous but I don’t think too much. I just try to focus on my work and give my 100 percent to everything.”