Dia Mirza: Parts are not written for people my age in our industry

Dia Mirza shared this photo on her Instagram account.

"Truth is very powerful," says actress and UN Environment Goodwill Ambassador, Dia Mirza. The beauty with brains actress speaks unabashedly about causes and issues that are harmful to nature or anything in general that is not correct. Last seen in Sanju (2018), Dia speaks about her sabbatical from the big screens and what kept her away from the 70 mm. In an exclusive conversation with mid-day.com, the 38-year-old reveals details about her upcoming web show, Kaafir with Mohit Raina on Zee5. The show revolves around a woman named Kainaaz and is based on true events.

Excerpts from the interview:

Do you have anything in common with Kainaaz? How did you find this character?
The story is based on true events. It's one of the most humane stories. Kainaaz' character has a great amount of integrity and I am blessed to get this opportunity to play Kainaaz. I don't know if I am like her but maybe if I was in her situation, I would be like her. I have tried to embrace and embody her trajectory, her life's reality and accept that as it is.

The digital medium has definitely grown. So was it an immediate yes for this show or there went a lot of thinking before you took it up?
Yes, it was immediate because of three reasons primarily:
1 - I loved the story instantly, it's so powerful because all the people involved in writing this show and making it are really exceptional. Bhavani Iyer is a cute, intelligent, positive and beautiful writer. Siddharth P Malhotra and Sapna Malhotra are producing the show, they are my friends and did beautiful mentoring. The directors, Pratik Shah, and Sonam Nair are fantastic.
2 - Digital medium is growing exponentially with the fact that it's a home-grown platform, the fact that they are empowering us with good stories.
3 - It's a sign of very exciting and good time for all of us - artists, women, producers. The audience is maturing and evolving and wants to watch stories that are insightful.

Are you planning on producing films or web shows, since you also have your own production house (Born Tree Entertainment)?
Yes! We have just completed a web show and have got two other feature films.

While there are many public figures, who refrain from speaking their mind on social media by the fear of being trolled, you have always been there, upfront.
I think the truth is very powerful. It makes me feel, 'What does one has to be afraid of - being judged?' If I had to allow others to define my identity then I would be a very scared person. There's just too much that has to get done and we all need to rise to the occasion and do our bit.

Although you have been proactive with your environmental causes, you've stayed away from films before Sanju for a longer time. Didn't you find attractive scripts for yourself?
It's exactly that! I wasn't offered the kind of films that attracted me. Also, the unfortunate truth is that not enough stories are written for women my age. There are just a few written and then there are so many of us. It's a very unfortunate trajectory and in fact, it's a complete antithesis of the West. If you look at women at any Western part of cinema, their most profitable stage or the most compelling stage of performance and being the performing art is through their mid-thirties or late-forties and going forward because mature stories are written. Parts are written for women and men that age in the West. Unfortunately, these parts are not written for people my age in our industry.

Have you signed any film yet?
Not yet. I am doing some really amazing web shows. There's Kaafir and The Moghuls by Nikhil Advani. And, that's what keeps me busy.

Also Read: Dia Mirza: Women need not seek male permission to travel

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