Neha Dhupia was born on August 27, 1980, in Cochin, India, to a Punjabi-speaking family, where she was affectionately nicknamed 'Chotu', a customary practice in many Punjabi and Sikh families. Her father, Pradip Singh Dhupia, is an Officer in the Indian Navy, and her mother, Manpinder, is a homemaker. Neha has a younger brother, Hardeep, who works with Jet Airways.
As a child, Neha completed her schooling in Vizag and later attended Naval Public School, before graduating in History from Jesus and Mary College in Delhi.
Neha started her acting career in 1999 with a TV serial called Rajdhani, followed by numerous TV advertisements, ramp shows, and two music videos. Her breakthrough came in 2002 when she was crowned 'Miss India', succeeding Bollywood actress Celina Jaitley, and finished amongst the top 10 in the 'Miss Universe 2002' competition.
Before entering the Bollywood film industry, Neha made her acting debut in 1997 with Jab Pyar Kiya To Darna Kya, followed by two Telugu movies in 2003. Her first major Bollywood appearance was in Qayamat: City Under Threat, also released in 2003.
