How Hirani's 'Sanju' became a 'lifesaver' for Dia Mirza
What's the story
Dia Mirza, who made her Bollywood debut with Rehnaa Hai Terre Dil Mein 25 years ago, recently opened up about the challenges she faced in her early career. The film was a box office failure, and many of her subsequent projects also didn't do well despite her performances being praised. Speaking on The Namrata Zakaria Show, she recently talked about being labeled "unlucky" in the industry and how Rajkumar Hirani's Sanju changed everything for her.
Early challenges
Mirza was initially compared to Aishwarya Rai Bachchan
Mirza revealed that she had to constantly fight against preconceived notions about her. "When I started off, there were all these comparisons with Aishwarya Rai. I remember being an impediment to accessing an opportunity." "Then box office failures of my so-called big films, and how it in turn renders you jobless, because people who were otherwise queuing up to sign you suddenly perceive you as a panauti, bad luck. I have been through all of that."
Career shift
Mirza called Hirani, asked for a role
Mirza revealed that things began to change after she reached out to Hirani. "I remember the phone call I made to Rajkumar Hirani when he was casting the film. I said I had no work and was struggling to find an opportunity; nobody was giving me jobs, and I pleaded with him to give me the job." "He said he would talk to Ranbir and the rest of the team and get back." "It was a lifesaver."
Production journey
Acting offers reduced after production ventures
Before Sanju, Mirza had also turned producer with films like Love Breakups Zindagi and Bobby Jasoos. She shared that after she started producing, she wasn't getting work because people thought she didn't want to act. "I don't know what it was. Whether it was a combination of 'oh, she is producing films so she doesn't want to act' or that they had other choices, I don't know."
Future endeavors
Mirza has multiple projects for 2026
The success of Sanju opened new doors for Mirza. She was later cast in Siddharth P Malhotra's Kaafir, a role that changed her life in many ways. The actor has several projects lined up for 2026, including Ikka with Sunny Deol, Akshaye Khanna, and Tillotama Shome; a web series with Nawazuddin Siddiqui; and another with Jimmy Shergil. She also has an untitled film with Rahul Bhat.