Bollywood Hungama

Dia Mirza says artists must speak up on social issues: If we don't vocalise our truths, then who will?

As Dia Mirza completes 25 years in the film industry, the actor reflected on her journey, the changing portrayal of women in cinema, her recent projects and her views on the responsibility of artists as citizens. In a conversation with NDTV, Dia spoke about choosing meaningful stories and why artists should not remain silent on issues that affect society. Discussing the evolution of women-centric storytelling, Dia acknowledged that powerful roles for women have existed for decades, citing filmmakers such as Mahesh Bhatt, Shyam Benegal and Govind Nihalani. She noted that actors including Shabana Azmi, Smita Patil, Waheeda Rehman and Sharmila Tagore benefited from such writing. However, she said commercial cinema later became largely focused on the male perspective, leaving women with less nuanced characters. According to Dia, the situation has changed in the last decade, with more filmmakers exploring the complexities of women and femininity. The actor also spoke about her approach to selecting projects. I don't pick roles. I pick stories, she said, explaining that she looks for narratives that can make audiences think and contribute to improving people's lives. Talking about Ikka, Dia recalled working with Akshaye Khanna and Sunny Deol. She described her scene with Akshaye as powerful and said the rehearsal just flowed without anything feeling forced. She also praised Sunny for being kind and generous, saying she felt comfortable portraying their complex relationship on screen. Dia further addressed her outspoken views on social justice, equality and climate change. Defending artists who speak on public issues, she said, To be an artist is to live truth and to learn and to evolve and to share. And if we don't vocalise our truths, then who will? She added that people do not have to be artists to question issues affecting society. As human beings, as parents, if something affects our children, whether it's the environment, education, or health, we're well within our rights as citizens to question that and to participate in the processes that help build better systems. Dia's latest project, Operation Safed Sagar, is currently streaming on Netflix. Also Read : Dia Mirza pens emotional note over playing Kamalpreet Dhanoa in Operation Safed Sagar: I will carry you in my heart forever