In the last 10 years, Dia Mirza has had more misses than hits. The actress says she's not 'over-ambitious' but hoping for success with Love Breakups Zindagi.
She's beautiful, energetic and can even cough up a few emotions at the cameras trained on her. So why has former beauty queen Dia Mirza failed to gain a respectable place in Bollywood after more than a decade in showbiz?
The mystery deepens when you know that some leading ladies with questionable talent (think a certain Brit-Indian actress) have done way better. But the 30-year-old actress is not willing to dwell on the negatives and is now taking matters into her own hands — the Rehnaa Hai Tere Dil Mein actress turned producer with romantic comedy Love Breakups Zindagi (LBZ), currently showing in the UAE. "This film is going to be a wonderful conclusion to all the hard work I have put in over the years," said Mirza over the phone from Mumbai. Her body of work reveals she has done more cameos than played the character-driven leading lady.
"Success in Bollywood is all about being a part of a hit film. It's as simple as that. Yes, there were times when I asked myself why haven't I got my due? Earlier, I used to think that due comes in the form of roles. But then I thought due is when you get respect."
Though her philosophical stand is admirable, facts are far harsher. After her debut disaster Rehna Hai Tere Dil Mein, her career catalogue is strewn with flops (Deewanapan and Fruit And Nut) and the ones that have done well such as Lage Raho Munnabhai and Parineeta were ensemble pieces that had little do with her acting skill.
So was her banner Born Free her desperate bid to get her career back on track? Her boyfriend Sahil Singha and her friend and struggling actor Zayed Khan are also stakeholders in the project.
Real people
"Love Breakups Zindagi is not a vehicle to showcase myself. I would like to believe that it's a showcase for every character in my film. I have always said bad characterisations are mistaken for bad performances. This film gives an honest opportunity for every actor to put their best foot forward."Calling it Bollywood's answer to Hollywood hit Love Actually, LBZ features Khan, Tisca Chopra and Cyrus Sahukar grappling with relationships and matters of the heart.
"It's about real people in the real world. It's about a group of friends in their mid and late 20s who are sorted out when it comes to their jobs but find themselves questioning their personal relationships. We go on to show that love happens when you stop looking for it."Mirza is confident that the film will put a fresh take on romance. Even the most dreaded word in an actor's dictionary "comeback" bounces off her easily.
"I know that a lot will change if Love Breakups Zindagi works at the box-office and if it doesn't I will still continue to work because people respect me and my talents. But honestly, I would be very disappointed if the film doesn't work. We have made an intimate, sincere, close-to-our-hearts movie."And of course, having her personal life sorted and finding love in Singha makes it a lot easier to deal with her career blocks. The two have been dating for more than a year now.
"I am a big believer of love. Love makes you comfortable and it puts you in a place in life that even if things are really bad — you have somebody to share it. That kind of stability that love brings is amazing."She also believes that ideas that stem from roof-top conversations have happy endings. Apparently, Mirza came up with LBZ after a casual chat under the stars on a terrace with Singha and Khan. "Like I said before, if Love Breakups Zindagi gets a 60 per cent opening, the word of mouth will take care of the rest. I don't want to be over-ambitious."