INTERVIEW! Dia Mirza On Bheed, Online Trolling And Being Stereotyped: I Lost Projects Because Of My Looks

Q. What attracted you to the film Bheed? How was the experience?

A. How can I refuse a film with Anubhav Sinha. I have known him for almost 23 years. I have worked with him in Cash, Dus and then Thappad. Before Thappad, he had made films like Mulk and Article 15, so when I met him at a party, I said why are you not casting me in a film, I want to work with you. I have always aspired to work with makers who focus on serious cinema. Then he told me about Thappad. However, for Bheed, he called me and just said that there is something for you in this film, which is completely different from your image. Don't know whether you will do it or not, so first you read the script, then tell. After reading the script, I immediately agreed without thinking twice. I am happy that he has given me an opportunity to be a part of his film. When the audience will also watch this film, they will realize that there is no conventional Dia in it at all. This character is very much related to reality and shows that no one is perfect here.

Q. You said you want to be a part of serious cinema. Has this inclination been there since the beginning of the career?

A. I have always been attracted to stories that can bring about some change. I am lucky that in the last 5-6 years I am getting such kind of films. When I started work in the film industry, I was very young. At that time I did not understand what kind of work I should do. But now I have realized that I get the most joy being on the sets of films that have some potential to make a difference. Perhaps this is also because the kind of work I am doing outside the periphery of film industry.

Q. Do you regret not getting the work you wanted in the beginning of your career?

A. I wanted to work in serious cinema, but those makers never considered me suitable for the roles that I wanted to do. Many makers clearly told me that I am too beautiful for their characters. It's not that I have a complaint with my looks or I don't like myself. But it is true that many actors are limited because of their looks. Which is not good for an artist. I think any stereotype and preconceived notions are not good. Directors have told me that your look is too mainstream and commercial. (Laughs) People might think that I am being pompous and ungrateful but this is the tragedy of my life.

Q. In Bheed, you are playing the role of a mother. After becoming a mother in real life, do you feel more connected with such characters?

A. I have always had maternal feelings. When I did Kaafir, I was not a mother at that time, but even during the shooting, I got so much emotionally connected to that kid. However, it is true that somewhere you feel the difference after becoming a mother. I remember when my son was 6 months old, and I left him at home and went out for a shoot. My heart knows how much courage I mustered. In such a situation, you get emotionally more attached with your character as well.

Q. How was the lockdown period for you?

A. I realized that I am very lucky that I was in my house with my mother. I was very grateful. During this time I also met my husband, otherwise I don't think our paths would ever have crossed, given the nature of work that he does and the hours he spends at work. We even got married after the first lockdown. So yes, personally there were a lot of changes going on in my life at that time and all were good changes. Then I became a mother during the second lockdown. At that time I had to face health problems. I needed an MRI during my pregnancy, but the hospital where I was admitted did not have an MRI machine. Due to Covid, the situation was such that we had to survive in limited facilities only. Due to unavailability of MRI, my complications increased and I had to deliver my baby within 6 months. When my son was born, he was kept in the ICU for three months and I was allowed to visit him only once a week. At that time everyone was in pain, everyone was struggling with life. Everyone had their own challenges, how many had lost their loved ones. Somewhere, we all felt helpless at that time.

Q. Have you ever felt powerless in your life?

A. Yes, of course. You feel powerful when you are in control of situations. Or when you have choices in life. And when you do not have this control, you become powerless. But in times of trouble, I have seen many people who deal with things with a lot of love and I think this is what makes them different from others.

Q. Bheed faced a lot of trolling before its release. What do you think about this?

A. I could not understand why trolling is happening. If something has happened and we are just showing it, then what is the problem. You first see what is the intention of the story. This film just wants to show what happened at that time and how our lives are connected. How we all affect each other's life. There is no agenda other than this.

Q. Nowadays almost every Bollywood film has to face trolling. How do you feel seeing this negativity towards Bollywood?

A. The language of our country and the world has become very negative. This is unfortunate. As entertainers and story tellers, we just want to entertain people. We want to bring positive change. So it is very difficult to see that we are used as soft targets. We are constantly maligned by certain people just because they want to push a certain narrative or whatever their agenda may be. But I think there are a lot of people who love films and the film industry, who understand what we really are. And trolling, individual attacks, personal tags, faceless attacks, victimizing, shaming I think all of us have to deal with it in our own ways.

Q. Few days back, The Elephant Whisperers brought Oscar to the country, as a conservationist how do you feel?

A. As a conservationist, as a wildlife lover, I am so grateful that the documentary was made. I am grateful it got an Oscar nomination and even more grateful that it won. Because when stories like that win, it's a win for conservationist, it's a win for storytelling. And the fact that two women, producer and director, have won, this award is like breaking the glass ceiling at another level. And it's the beginning hopefully for many more of us. It gives me a sense of hope. It also speaks of the fact that the western world is definitely making space and room for the South Asian community and they are recognizing that we must have a place and voice at the table. Which is why you see more and more actors also from our parts of world being cast in international work, which is great. I don't know, if I will ever qualify for that work because of the color of my skin, but those who do qualify more power to them, it's great, it's really making a huge shift (smiles).

Q. Why you would not qualify?

A. (Smiles) Because everywhere there is stereotyping , isn't it? Like if you are Indian, you have to be brown.