Dia Mirza says she never used her personal equations to demand roles: ‘I keep the work I do and my friendships apart’

Dia Mirza, who has been a part of the film industry for two decades, has formed lasting friendships but said that she has never taken advantage of her personal equations and tried to use them to get roles. She added that she keeps her friendships and professional life separate.

Last year, Dia was seen in a supporting role in Anubhav Sinha’s Thappad. Before that, she was seen in Rajkumar Hirani’s Sanju as Sanjay Dutt’s wife Maanayata.

Talking to The Times of India, Dia said, “I made friends along the way with people who I have worked with and found common ground with. They are long-lasting friendships, but I have never used that access to demand a role in a film. I keep the work I do and my friendships apart.”

Dia made her acting debut with Rehnaa Hai Terre Dil Mein in 2001 after winning the Miss Asia Pacific title in 2000. The film, starring R Madhavan opposite her, was not a commercial success at the time of its release but has acquired a cult following since then.

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Dia has also starred in films such as Dum, Parineeta, Dus and Honeymoon Travels Pvt Ltd. She made her digital debut in 2019 with the Zee5 series Kaafir, in which she played a Pakistani woman who finds herself on the Indian side of the border and is imprisoned for eight years after being mistaken for a spy.

Apart from films, Dia is also passionate about conservation of the environment. In her New Year post, she urged fans to ‘help heal our planet’.

“Love love and more love for everyONE. Have a healthy, joyful and peaceful 2021. Make one resolution to help heal our planet. Follow a mostly plant based diet. Don’t let your baths last more than 5mins. Grow trees. Refuse all single use plastics. Switch to natural alternatives. Compost and segregate waste at home. Refuse, reuse, recycle, reduce consumption. A healthy planet is healthy people,” she wrote.

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