Dia Mirza is a producer, Miss Asia Pacific 2000, UN Environment Goodwill Ambassador and United Nations Secretary Generals Advocate for Sustainable Development Goals. She is also a mother. It was already a rewarding experience to interview the multi-hyphenate, but there was more.
Many discoveries and revelations were made during our tte – tte that not only led to my environmental awakening but also forced me to question every non-sustainable practice I was using every day.
It was a pretty privilege, and it worked against her.
This and much more was communicated by the 40 year-old actor with unwavering passion. We began with the unthinkable: her beautiful face got in the way her career goals.Dia was once told by a well-known producer that She was too beautiful to be successful. Anurag Kashyap is a revered filmmaker who has shared a similar opinion. Dia admits that Anurag Kashyap’s work is her favorite. He is a genius and I have long wanted to work with him. He once told me that I was too beautiful for his films.
These aren’t stories from a different era, as Dia still receives these comments. Some filmmakers claim she doesn’t look Indian enough, or is too beautiful. Dia takes a moment to reflect before she says that she understands why certain skin colours and features make it easier for women. She admits that these unfortunate stereotypes are so prevalent in our society, and I would agree with her.
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Finding her feet after a long journey in a foreign land
Former model and beauty pageant winning, her first official snub occurred at the age 16 when she was told she was too small to be a model. Dia didn’t take her looks seriously as a child. Was it luck or a coincidence that Miss India Asia Pacific 2000 was her crown? She replies with a YesShe also stated that she never had any plans to enter a beauty contest. The Times Group contacted Dias’ parents, a model at the time.
My mom was initially hesitant to let me go, but my dad encouraged her to explore the world and learn new things. It was a paradigm change for me, from being protected to being exposed to the outside world in all its beauty. Dia shares that she hadn’t taken an international flight before she won Miss India.
Ask her if Bollywood is a natural choice. Then watch her talk about her love for cinema and call it the best thing in the world. I can recall my grandmum having eight children. She would finish all her chores and get to the cinema talkies to watch a film. She told me that Dia inherited her love of movies from her.
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Bollywood: Bollywood is not for men, by men or for men anymore
It was not an easy task. Every woman who works would smile at her account about sexism in Bollywood and at work would.During her first days in the industry, she had little knowledge about sexism. People didn’t understand what patriarchy did to the work environment. She believes that the sets now have a balanced gender representation. I can recall that at one time, my hairdresser was the only woman on the sets. Our expectations were very different, as we were both the first to arrive and last to leave, Dia shares.
Dias brush with unjustified beauty standards
Dia, despite being considered pretty, believes that a popular idea of beauty can be forced upon you. Because she is so beautiful, Dia was asked to wear colored contact lenses from the beginning.
Dia explains that Dia is afraid of the constant pressure from others to be someone they think you should be. But deep down you know who your true self is, and nobody wants to tap into it. There were expectations she didn’t meet and it was frustrating that every film that came out would have all the talk about how great I was, but not the parts I wanted.
The industry is changing now, as are the attitudes. She says that artistes shine because they are authentic and valuable. Dia was most recently seen in the Netflix series. Call My Agent: BollywoodShe demonstrated her characters dilemma of whether or not to go under knife.
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From a life partner to having a baby, it’s time for you to welcome changes in your lockdown
It’s clear that the pandemic has boosted the OTT boom and opened doors for female actors. Dia says that almost two years ago, she was locked in a cell. She got married and had a child. There are many lessons from the pandemic she shared with me, but I’m still struck by her bubbly when she spoke of her son, Avyaan Azaad Rezki, who Dia and Vaibhav rekhi welcomed in May 2013.
Dia says that her life would have been incomplete if she had not become a mother. It is the most indomitable power, beautiful, and strengthening force you can ever experience. It’s impossible to have a love like this for anyone else in the world, as it is for your child.
Quote: Convenience is perhaps the biggest lie humans have created. Because everything we use in the name convenience is harmful to the environment.
Sustainable living was her definition of a pandemic.
In many ways, the pandemic has been a turning-point in her life. She says that the one thing that truly defines my experience has been that I have learned that less is more. As she talks about convenience being one of the biggest lies humans have created, I let my eyes wander a bit before stopping at her reusable stainless steel bottle and copper glass with straw.
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She explains how convenience can lead to everything we use causing environmental damage. She then offers to show us what’s in her bag. Contrary to the usual celebrity Whats In The Bag episode this episode featured some unique offerings. She had a reusable bag and cutlery with her that she takes everywhere she goes.
A star who is leading the charge for planet protection
Dia is a UN Environment Goodwill Ambassador and United Nations Secret-Generals Advocates for Sustainable Development Goals. She says her time with NGOs early on in her career helped her realize how pollution and environmental degradation were affecting human health. While scientists and conservationists working in silos do great work, mainstream society doesn’t have access to their knowledge, awareness, or information. This is when I realized that I could use my platform and voice to bring attention to the need for wildlife protection and conservation in India.
One of the many sustainable practices she’s adoptedSome of these include eating a plant-based diet and eating seasonal and local fruits and vegetables. Although it may seem daunting at first, you’ll soon notice how many bags, cutlery, and other items you have rejected.
Dia has always been true to her principles, whether it’s about her everyday decisions or her entrepreneurial journey. Dia believes that entrepreneurship has provided her with valuable experiences. She shares that investing in companies and stories is about making active choices every day.
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Ask her what’s next and she will tell you that it is a continuation of the work she has done. As you gain experience and time, your influence expands and your ability and willingness to help others grows. She says there are more stories to share, more victories to be won, and more happy times with her baby.
Motherhood is full of incomparable joys
I ask her again, at the risk of sounding obsessive: In what other ways have you been changed by motherhood? She says Since Avya’s arrival in her life, she has been more patient. (Hell will turn one in May. Motherhood has taught me the importance of love. She concludes our conversation by stating that I don’t believe it is possible to experience love this intense for anyone else in the world.
Image credit to the lead image: iDiva
