As Rehnaa Hai Terre Dil Mein marks its silver jubilee, the actor discusses professional setbacks, producing films and choosing characters for their depth.
Dia Mirza has looked back on the disappointments that followed her early film releases, saying their box-office performance affected the opportunities available to her.
Speaking to Hindustan Times as Rehnaa Hai Terre Dil Mein completes 25 years, Mirza described the emotional difficulty of finding herself sidelined while still establishing her acting career.
The 2001 romantic drama marked her Bollywood debut opposite R Madhavan. Its anniversary provides the backdrop to a career reflection that extends beyond the film’s enduring popularity to the choices she made when subsequent opportunities became uncertain.
Moving away from the pursuit of stardom
In the supplied interview, Mirza recalled changing her priorities around 2004–05. Rather than concentrating on becoming a bigger star, she began placing greater importance on the stories she supported and the people she worked with.
“I’ve pursued meaning over material,” she said.
Her explanation centres on purpose: why a story needs to be told, what a character contributes and whether the working environment allows her to feel respected.
That approach offers context for a career spanning acting and production. Professional disappointment, in her account, prompted her to reconsider what she wanted from the industry.
Creating opportunities through production
Mirza also discussed producing films as a way to participate in stories she believed deserved support.
Her production work includes Love Breakups Zindagi (2011) and the Vidya Balan-led Bobby Jasoos (2014). In the interview, she described the decision as creating space for herself and the work she valued when existing opportunities felt limited.
The emphasis was on having a role in shaping projects, alongside performing in them.
Why Sanju and Kaafir mattered
Looking back at later performances, Mirza identified Sanju and Kaafir as important developments in how her work was perceived.
She played Manyata Dutt in the 2018 film Sanju, a role she said helped open opportunities after a prolonged period of restricted choices.
The 2019 series Kaafir, in which she portrayed Kainaaz Akhtar, brought another shift. Mirza recalled previously hearing that she was underused as an actor, but said those comments stopped after the series.
Together, the projects form part of her account of gradually finding work that allowed audiences and filmmakers to see more of her abilities.
Choosing depth over screen time
For Mirza, the significance of a character is not determined simply by how long she appears on screen.
“I’ve never pursued length. I’ve always pursued depth,” she said.
She described being interested in complicated women whose presence helps a story explore something meaningful. Her questions concern the character’s purpose, the experiences she brings into the narrative and what remains with viewers afterwards.
Mirza also spoke about a growing awareness of patriarchy and misogyny in cinema, pointing to the importance of informed choices and sensitive storytelling.
Her advice to younger performers followed the same principle: remain willing to learn, develop and approach the work with integrity. In her view, an acting career can continue to evolve beyond its early successes and disappointments.
