Diana Penty facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Diana Penty
Penty in 2019
Born	(1985-11-02) 2 November 1985 (age 39) Bombay, Maharashtra, India
Alma mater	St. Xavier's College
Occupation	Actress
Years active	2005–present

Diana Penty is an Indian actress who mostly works in Hindi films. She started her career as a model in 2005. Later, she made her acting debut in the romantic comedy film Cocktail in 2012. For this role, she was nominated for a Filmfare Award for Best New Actress.

After taking a break for four years, Diana played the main role of a runaway bride in Happy Bhag Jayegi (2016). This film became popular over time. She then acted as an army officer in Parmanu: The Story of Pokhran (2018) and a volunteer in Shiddat (2021). She also starred in the streaming films Bloody Daddy (2023) and Adbhut (2024). Her film Chhaava (2025) became her highest-earning movie. Besides acting, Diana Penty is also known for promoting many brands and products.

Early Life and Education

Diana Penty was born on November 2, 1985, in Mumbai, Maharashtra, India. Her father is Parsi, and her mother is a Konkani Christian. She went to St. Agnes High School in Mumbai. Later, she earned a bachelor's degree in Mass Media from St. Xavier's College.

Diana Penty's Career Journey

Starting as a Model (2005–2011)

Diana Penty at an event in 2011

Diana Penty began her modeling career after sending her photos to Elite Models India. They liked her work and suggested she try modeling. At first, she was still in college and wasn't sure about modeling full-time. So, she decided to work as a fashion model part-time.

In 2005, Diana officially started working for Elite Models India. She made her first appearance on the runway at the Indo-Italian Festival. There, she modeled for Italian designers Nicola Trussardi and Gianfranco Ferré. After that, Diana modeled for many other Indian designers, including Wendell Rodricks and Rohit Bal. By 2007, she had a successful modeling career. She appeared in ads for big Indian brands like Tribhovandas Bhimji Zaveri and Parachute. She also appeared on the covers of several Indian fashion magazines.

The next year, Diana started modeling internationally. She promoted global brands like Maybelline and Garnier. Sushma Puri, the CEO of Elite Models India, said that Diana's face is very versatile. She added that Diana appeals to both Indian and international markets. Later in her modeling career, Diana started getting offers for films. However, she felt she wasn't ready and turned them down to focus on modeling. From 2008 to 2010, Diana became well-known internationally. She modeled for fashion weeks in Paris and New York.

Film Debut and Success (2012–2018)

Diana Penty was first supposed to make her Bollywood debut in 2011. This was for the film Rockstar with Ranbir Kapoor. But she turned down the film because of her modeling work. Nargis Fakhri took her place. Later, Diana signed up for Homi Adajania's film Cocktail instead. This was suggested by director Imtiaz Ali.

Cocktail and Critical Praise

Diana starred in Cocktail alongside Saif Ali Khan and Deepika Padukone. The film received good reviews. Diana played Meera, a simple Indian girl with traditional values. Critics really liked her performance. Taran Adarsh said that Diana, making her acting debut, played a difficult character very well. He added that she brought a disarming innocence to the role and was very impressive. Raja Sen also agreed, saying she was "refreshingly natural." Anupama Chopra noted that Diana made her role shine with quiet grace. Her acting earned her nominations for several awards, including the Filmfare Award for Best New Actress. Cocktail was a big success at the box office.

Break and Comeback

Diana Penty in 2017

After a four-year break from acting, Diana Penty returned to the screen in 2016. She played the main character, Happy, a runaway bride, in Happy Bhag Jayegi. She starred with Ali Fazal and Abhay Deol. The story is about Happy's adventures when she tries to run away with her lover. Instead, she ends up across the border in a politician's house. Diana explained her break by saying she was taking her time to find an interesting story. She didn't want to do just any film that came her way. The film received mixed reviews but became popular over time. Rohit Bhatnagar wrote that Diana "steals the spotlight in every frame."

Later Films in the 2010s

In 2017, Diana's only film was Lucknow Central. She played Gayatri, a dedicated NGO worker. She helped a band formed by prison inmates. She starred opposite Farhan Akhtar. Renuka Vyavahare from Times of India said that Diana played her part well. However, the film did not do well at the box office.

Diana had two films released in 2018. First, she played an army officer, Captain Ambalika, in Parmanu: The Story of Pokhran. She starred opposite John Abraham. A critic from Bollywood Hungama said that Diana had a very important part and played the serious character well. This film was a commercial success. Her second film that year was Happy Phirr Bhag Jayegi. This was a sequel to Happy Bhag Jayegi. She played her role as Happy again, alongside Sonakshi Sinha. This film did not perform as well as the first one.

Recent Films and Streaming Projects (2019-Present)

In 2019, Diana Penty made a special appearance in a song. She was in the promotional music video for "Shehar Ki Ladki" from Khandaani Shafakhana. She appeared with singer Badshah and actors Suniel Shetty and Raveena Tandon.

Digital Releases and New Roles

In 2021, Diana played Ira in the romantic drama Shiddat. She played a public service volunteer who had different ideas from her husband, played by Mohit Raina. Samriddhi Srivastava from India Today noted that Diana made a strong impression. She played a free-spirited and practical woman, even with limited screen time.

In 2022, Diana also acted in her first Malayalam film, Salute. She played Dia, the love interest of Dulquer Salmaan. Haricharan Pudipeddi mentioned that Diana's role had little impact. Both Shiddat and Salute were released digitally.

In 2023, Diana's first film was Selfiee. She played Naina, an actor's wife, opposite Akshay Kumar. Anna M. M. Vetticad said that Diana brought a "glowing dignity" to her role. However, this film did not do well at the box office. Diana then played Aditi, an NCB officer, in Bloody Daddy with Shahid Kapoor. This film was released digitally. Monika Rawal Kukreja felt that Diana kept a calm balance in her role.

In 2024, Diana played a mysterious woman in Adbhut alongside Nawazuddin Siddiqui. This was her only film release that year. The film was released directly on Sony Max. A critic from Bollywood Hungama praised her performance in a role she had not done before.

Upcoming Projects and Major Success

In 2025, Diana's first film was Azaad. She played Kesar, a rebellious wife, opposite Ajay Devgn and Mohit Malik. Vineeta Kumar of India Today stated that Diana and Devgn added the necessary depth to the story. This film did not do well at the box office.

After that, she played the Mughal princess Zinat-un-Nissa Begum in Chhaava. Rishabh Suri from Hindustan Times felt her character could have been more intense. Chhaava was a box office success. It became one of the highest-earning Indian films of all time, and Diana's biggest hit. Diana then played Natasha, an investigating cop, in Detective Sherdil with Diljit Dosanjh. This film was released digitally. While some critics felt she was "underutilised," Vinamra Mathur of Firstpost noted that Diana brought a serious attitude to her performance.

Diana Penty is expected to appear next in Section 84 alongside Amitabh Bachchan.

Off-Screen Activities

In 2017, Diana Penty volunteered for an NGO. This was inspired by her character in Lucknow Central. She also supports various good causes. In 2020, she provided safety gear to the Mumbai police during the COVID-19 pandemic. She also worked with Ketto India for the #EveryLifeMatters initiative. This helped provide relief and financial support during the crisis.

Diana Penty at the Lakme Fashion Week in 2017

Diana Penty made her first appearance at the Cannes Film Festival in 2019. She has also walked the ramp at the Lakme Fashion Week. She has been a cover model for many magazines. These include Vogue, Elle, and Femina.

Personal Life

Diana Penty has been in a relationship with diamond merchant Harsh Sagar for 12 years.

Filmography

Films

• All films are in Hindi unless otherwise noted.

Television

Music Video

Awards and Nominations

See also

In Spanish: Diana Penty para niños