Birthday girl Disha Patani turns 29: A look at her journey to Bollywood stardom

A relative newcomer to the glitz and glamour of Bollywood, 29-year-old Patani made her Bollywood debut with ‘M.S. Dhoni: The Untold Story’. However, her journey in entertainment started much earlier. In 2015, the actress played the love interest of Raja (Varun Tej) in the Telugu movie ‘Loafer’. Since her Bollywood debut a year later, she’s become a box office draw as one of film’s most sought after leading ladies.

With a stable of upcoming projects and hints of a Hollywood crossover, Patani’s bound to continue stealing the hearts of fans throughout the world. Lets look at her journey from a middle class family to dominating the big screen. It is no surprise that Patani has continued to soar in the industry at breakneck speed. Her striking good looks, acting skills and personality have quickly solidified her place as one of Bollywood's loved leading ladies.

Unlike many of today’s film stars, Patani wasn’t born into movie stardom. Originally hailing from Uttarakhand, the actress had a middle-class upbringing with initial aspirations of becoming a model. She shot to popularity after appearing in a commercial for a chocolate company, which made her a household name. The advertisement drew a lot of attention from directors and she began receiving film offers from a variety of regional studios.

In the two years since her debut, Patani grabbed the lead role in the international project ‘Kung Fu Yoga’, a 2017 Chinese action-adventure comedy starring Jackie Chan and Sonu Sood. The film was also extensively shot in Dubai.

A box office success, she also describes herself as a ‘fitness enthusiast’. Patani's physical strength can be seen in the gym, the boxing ring, and the dancing studio, where her physical condition are on full display. Patani’s Instagram feed is reflective of her passions, where she shares a lot from her busy personal life with her approximately 44.3 million followers on Instagram.

Disha recently revealed how much she admires actress Deepika Padukone, according to sources. She reportedly stated that Padukone's acting is something she admires and that if given the chance, she would like to be just like her.

In her personal life, Patani and Tiger Shroff have been the focus of Bollywood tabloid fodder since they acted together in ‘Baaghi 2’. Shroff, the son of famed Hindi actor Jackie Shroff, has been seen numerous times in public and on social media with Patani. However, the supposed power couple, who have never publicly confirmed their relationship, can't seem to decide if they're together or not.

Ayesha Shroff, Tiger Shroff's mother, has an unique affinity with Patani as well, as evidenced by her newest post. Ayesha said on Sunday, while celebrating Patani’s birthday, that what she "loves the most" is the actor's non-glamourous side.

Few people know that during the filming of Salman Khan's ‘Bharat’, Patani suffered from memory loss. "I lost six months of my life because I couldn't remember anything," the actress was quoted as saying in a report by Mid-Day. While practicing for her role as a circus artist on a concrete terrace floor, the actress sustained a significant head injury.

Patani is not only an actress, but also an app developer who has created an app that allows her admirers to stay in touch with her.

With her new found fame, the actress also snapped up her newest ride, a Range Rover Sport. With an annual income of more than US$2.5 million, Patani's garage already boasts a Range Rover, an Audi, a BMW, aMercedes, and Jaguar cars. We wonder which luxury vehicle she could be tempted to buy next.

When not working or buying cars, the star loves the beach and is often spotted on holidays with Shroff. Patani shared a gorgeous pic of herself from her recent vacation with fans ahead of her birthday. The star can be seen relaxing on the beach and showcasing her physique in the photo.