Dia Mirza on Cinema, Conscience and the Courage to Speak

For Dia Mirza, acting has never been only about appearing on screen. Over 25 years in the film industry, she has increasingly gravitated towards stories that stay with audiences long after the credits roll — narratives that explore people with greater honesty and ask uncomfortable questions about society.

In a recent conversation with NDTV, Mirza reflected on her journey in cinema, the changing space for women on screen and the responsibility she believes comes with being an artist and a citizen.

A changing space for women

Mirza believes Indian cinema has come a long way in giving women characters greater emotional depth. While strong female roles existed in earlier decades, she feels mainstream commercial filmmaking eventually became heavily shaped by male perspectives, leaving less room for nuanced portrayals of women's lives.

She sees a noticeable shift in recent years, with more filmmakers willing to explore women's identities, relationships, vulnerabilities and ambitions in a layered manner. For Mirza, being part of films and series such as Kaafir, Dhak Dhak and Made in Heaven has also been personally meaningful because each role has offered her a different understanding of womanhood.

Rather than simply looking for prominent characters, Mirza says she is drawn to the larger purpose of a project. The question for her is not just whether a role is impressive, but whether the story has something worthwhile to say and whether it can encourage audiences to pause, question and reflect.

That approach does not mean she wants every character to be morally perfect. In fact, she is enjoying the opportunity to experiment with unexpected parts that take her away from the image audiences may traditionally associate with her. For her, that sense of discovery is part of what keeps acting exciting.

Mirza also spoke warmly about her experience on Ikka, particularly her work with Akshaye Khanna and Sunny Deol. Her scene with Khanna initially came with its share of nerves, but rehearsals helped the two actors find an easy rhythm. She described the experience as an example of how a scene can come alive when performers trust the moment instead of trying to control every detail.

She also praised Khanna's openness and commitment to his craft, while recalling the warmth she has received from his family over the years.

Her experience with Sunny Deol was equally positive. Mirza found him grounded, generous and reassuring on set, qualities that helped them create a relationship on screen that felt natural despite the complexity of the characters' circumstances.

Why staying silent is not an option

Perhaps the most significant part of the conversation came when Mirza addressed the expectation that artists should stay away from social and public issues.

She rejects that separation.

For Mirza, artistic expression is inherently connected to observing the world, questioning it and responding to it. She believes issues such as equality, social justice and climate change are not distant political subjects but matters that affect ordinary people's lives.

Her argument extends beyond celebrity or artistic identity. As citizens, she believes people have every right to question systems that influence their children's education, health, environment and future.

For her, speaking up is therefore less about using fame as a platform and more about accepting the responsibility that comes with being part of society.

Choosing stories that matter

That philosophy also helps explain the direction of Mirza's career today. She appears increasingly interested in projects that offer something beyond conventional entertainment — stories that can entertain while also initiating conversations.

Her latest project, Operation Safed Sagar, has added another dimension to that journey. The series, currently streaming on Netflix, revisits the 1999 Kargil conflict through the experiences of those connected to the Indian Air Force.

After 25 years in the industry, Mirza's priorities seem less concerned with simply being visible and more focused on being part of work that has meaning. For her, cinema can be a space for entertainment, discovery and introspection — but it can also be a way of engaging with the world beyond the screen.

And that, perhaps, is why she sees speaking up as part of the artist's journey rather than a distraction from it.