Dia Mirza Reflects on 25 Years in Cinema and Pursuing Meaning Over Material

Actor Dia Mirza recently reflected on her 25-year journey in the film industry, looking back at the challenges she faced during the early years of her career and how she shifted her focus toward meaningful storytelling.

Entering the industry at age 19 after winning the Miss Asia Pacific International crown in 2000, Mirza made her Bollywood debut in the 2001 romantic drama Rehnaa Hai Terre Dil Mein opposite R Madhavan. Although the film initially failed at the box office before gaining cult status, Mirza recalled the emotional impact of early box-office struggles.

“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 shared.

By 2004-05, Mirza shifted her focus away from chasing stardom, choosing instead to pursue projects aligned with her beliefs. Explaining her approach, she noted, “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.”

This interest in meaningful storytelling led her to explore film production early on. Becoming a producer at 24 and releasing her first independent film at 26, her production house backed projects such as Love Breakups Zindagi (2011) and Bobby Jasoos (2014) starring Vidya Balan. Explaining her mindset of creating opportunities, she stated, “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.”

Mirza credited projects like the 2018 film Sanju—where she played Manyata Dutt—and the 2019 web series Kaafir as major turning points that opened up new opportunities and shifted industry perceptions of her acting abilities.

When selecting roles, Mirza stated she has always prioritized depth over length or playing the protagonist, favoring layered and flawed female characters. Reflecting on women in cinema, she noted that conversations around patriarchy and misogyny have evolved over the past decade and a half, highlighting filmmakers such as Anubhav Sinha and his film Thappad.

Offering advice to young performers, Mirza concluded, “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.”