At 19, fresh from winning the Miss Asia Pacific International crown in 2000, Dia Mirza made her Bollywood debut opposite R Madhavan in Rehnaa Hai Terre Dil Mein (2001). As the film, which initially failed at the box office before gaining cult status, completes 25 years this month, the 44-year-old actor reflects on being sidelined after her early films failed and how the experience shaped her career.
“When my films didn’t work at the box office, I was honestly bunked from feature films. And that can be a huge emotional setback to a young and aspiring actor,” she says.
By 2004-05, Mirza had stopped chasing stardom, choosing instead to focus on stories she believed in and work with people who made her feel respected. “I’ve pursued meaning over material. For me, what really matters and has continued to matter even more progressively through the years is what is the substance that I’m getting behind? What is the reason for telling a story? The why really matters to me,” she says.
That conviction also led her to venture into film production early in her career. “I had the audacity to turn film producer at the age of 24. I released my first independent film at 26 as a producer,” she says. Through her production house, which backed Love Breakups Zindagi (2011) and the Vidya Balan-starrer Bobby Jasoos (2014), she created space for stories she believed in. “If I’m not going to get a seat at the table, I’m going to build my own table. I am going to create space for what I truly believe in and what I believe I can add value to.”
Over the years, Mirza says, the industry’s perception of her has evolved. She credits the web series Kaafir (2019), in which she played Kainaaz Akhtar, with marking a turning point. “Up until then, I would hear people say, ‘You’re so beautiful, underutilised, you should be doing more.’ But Kaafir, I’ve not heard it. I’ve not heard it even once,” she says.
{{/usCountry}}Over the years, Mirza says, the industry’s perception of her has evolved. She credits the web series Kaafir (2019), in which she played Kainaaz Akhtar, with marking a turning point. “Up until then, I would hear people say, ‘You’re so beautiful, underutilised, you should be doing more.’ But Kaafir, I’ve not heard it. I’ve not heard it even once,” she says.
{{/usCountry}}Her performances in Sanju (2018), in which she played Manyata Dutt, and as Maneka also opened up new opportunities. “I feel like Sanju was a major turning point. And playing Manyatta, because I think finally it kind of really opened up opportunities that hadn't opened up for a very long time,” she explains.
Mirza says she has never measured a role by its length or whether she gets to play the central character. “I’ve never pursued length. I’ve always pursued depth.” She is drawn to layered, flawed and complicated women, looking beyond characters who merely serve a limited purpose in a story. “What matters most to me is why does this character exist? What is this character trying to help the story navigate? And where does this leave us as people when we’ve experienced this character?” she says.
Reflecting on the portrayal of women in cinema, Mirza believes the understanding of patriarchy and misogyny has evolved considerably over the past 10 to 15 years. “Women are better informed and we’re able to make better choices,” she says, pointing to filmmakers such as Anubhav Sinha, whose Thappad explored these issues with sensitivity.
Having navigated professional setbacks and changing opportunities, Mirza believes longevity depends on an actor’s willingness to keep learning rather than chase visibility or stardom. Her advice to young actors entering the industry is clear: “There is no shelf life. You decide how long you want to work for. As long as you are willing to grow and work and learn and bring your best effort and your integrity to a path, you will always work.”