Page 96 - July 2018 Magazine

dia mirza:

fewer opportunities
for women in

bollywood after

a certain age

ia Mirza said exciting work opportunities start thinning
out for female actors after they reach a certain age
Das filmmakers and some male actors ‘above 50’
prefer to cast young heroines. Dia, who is returning to the
silver screen after a gap of six years with Rajkumar Hirani’s
‘Sanju’, believes the film industry is not that welcoming to
female actors in their mid 30s.
“For women (actors), especially once they hit their mid
30s, opportunities, unfortunately, start shrinking because
some filmmakers want to cast young actresses and most
male actors, who have well passed their 50s, (also) want to
work with the younger talent. One needs to break through
this. It is going to take some fundamental changes in the
way we approach our cinema whether it is about every
woman making her choices or choosing to marry when she
wants and continue to be a professional,” Mirza told in an
interview.
Citing the example of yesteryear stars Sharmila Tagore,
Waheeda Rehman and Smita Patil, who continued to get
roles after marriage, Dia said “today’s actors have to push
themselves, explore opportunities, and even create them
for themselves”. Dia said, she waited for the right kind of just that I was not in front of the camera. As an actor you feel most alive in
roles and never accepted the offers that she felt were not front of the camera. I was doing a lot of work off-camera which was very
good. satisfying and wonderful.”
She recalled, “I waited for two-and-half years from the time She recalled various assignments she did while she was not acting in
I finished my Iranian film to hear from a credible filmmaker movies. She said, “I had the opportunity to meet some extraordinary human
asking me to be a part of his film. In December 2016, I got beings and to cover extraordinary stories whether it was ‘Ganga -The Soul
a call from Rajkumar Hirani for ‘Sanju’. I was leaving for a of India’ or work for environment. It has been an enriching ride so far. But
vacation at that time. Raju sir (Rajkumar Hirani) told me to I guess as an actor, the one place where you feel most comfortable is in
come to my office as he wanted to narrate a film. I told him front of the camera.”
that I am travelling. He said I might have to cancel the trip. Dia had worked as a marketing executive during her college days before
He said that if I like the film and role, we will have to start she started modelling for print and TV commercials, which led to a career
reading immediately as the shooting will begin in 15 days.” in acting.
The actor said she was excited to resume work as not She said, “I have had my share of ups and downs. I had to deal with the
working on a film is ‘terrifying’. Dia said, “I was relieved and pressure of public attention and the pressure of brickbats, but it has been
excited because I wasn’t working on a film...it was scary very exciting. I came to Mumbai with nothing. (Today), I have everything
and terrifying. I was excited and pumped to be part of a film that I could have possibly asked for. The greatest thing is that I could stand
that would be credible. To work with Raju sir, who I have my ground and work with my own values. In my opinion, as long as you
always admired, on ‘Sanju’ was a very nice experience.” are happy, financially secure and have opportunities, you are successful.”
Though Dia had not done any film for six years, the actor Dia is currently awaiting the release of ‘Sanju’, a biopic on actor Sanjay
said that during the period she worked harder than she Dutt, in which she plays the role of Dutt’s wife Manyata Dutt.
had worked in her entire career so far. The actor said, “..It’s

96 |DALLAS | JULY 2018 | VOL 154 www.thebmagazine.com