Devansh Patel interviews the proactive, professional and profound Dia Mirza and finds her to be a truly selfless starlet

FOR those of us who are interested in the life and art of Dia Mirza, and how they manage to coexist, there are many stand-out moments which you can witness the moment you enter her bright living room.

That face has a generous upper lip and the dusky brown eyes.

Her screen persona is 70s Bollywood, when young women came across as more mature and experienced than the more girlish females who populate post-90s studio movies.

To become two such different people in the millennium year in such a short space of time is almost sinister.

And then Dia in the flesh is so different again from her two latest turns.

With the fan wafting around the smell of freshly prepared tea, it is surprising to find her sounding so normal and sensible and real on a hot Tuesday afternoon - and with lots to chat about, the gifted and compassionate actress gets the temperature soaring in this intimidating, self-contained and poised interview.

Who, as a mentor, made the greatest impression on you growing up?

There are several influences. Of course, the first and the most important influences in any child's upbringing are the parents and what they do. I grew up hearing stories of my mother's childhood.

There were these slum children around her where she lived and her sisters would tell me stories about the dirty little babies my mother would be carrying in her arms, calling her a mad woman. I'd be like, 'that's so wonderful'. So you grow up hearing stories about what your parents have done and how effortlessly and selflessly they've done it and never made an issue out of it. Sunny Pillai, my dad's very good friend, always said: 'Your life has deeper purpose than what you understand. There are two ways of living life. Either you just live day to day and let it unfold and discover it as it does, or you believe that your existence has a deeper meaning than what it appears to be and you make that meaning out of everything you do. I think I absorbed that part better. I feel that human beings have a greater purpose on this planet.

You strongly support the CPAA (Cancer Patients Aids Association). Would you then adopt one?

I have. I may not have taken one into my home but I adopt anything between two and four patients every year. II get feedback on their recovery and, of course, this adoption is primarily monetary, where we pay all the medical bills of this child. The kids are still with their parents and happy. I'd love to bring a child home, but unless the child is an orphan it doesn't make sense.

Has your experience with CPAA, CRY, Spastic Society of India, Shiksha and many more made you more empathetic towards the society we are living in?

Actually, it makes me very frustrated and very angry because in India and the world over there is a lot of unhappiness which is related to health issues like the basic sanitary issues. There is always a sense of empathy and it happens when you don't know things too closely. In fact, you feel anger and frustration when you see things at closer quarters because you are helpless. Spending time with these kids or being able to monetarily take care of them doesn't make a real difference. It might make a small difference, but it's almost like a drop in the ocean as it brings you closer to the vastness of the problem. I mean, how many more people are suffering out there? And it just makes you more and more insecure. That's the real truth.

A celebrity, a socialite, a multi-tasker and with looks people don't want to blink an eye for. Why don't you start your own talk show which is social in nature, like Oprah Winfrey?

Oh, I love Oprah. I have an incredible amount of respect for her. Simply because she is one of the single most committed people on this planet. The kind of compassion that woman has, the kind of heart she has and the kind of effort she puts into everything she does is incomparable. I don't know whether I would be able to find the kind of backing and support that she has found. But you never know, 20 years from now, you might just see me host one such show. It'll take me a good 20 years to garner the strength I need in the first place.

Were you a prodigy as a speaker?

I don't know. I was very shy when I was young. As I grew older, I became confident in myself. I think being a prodigy as a speaker, it's got a lot to do with the kind of school you go to and the kind of influence the teachers have on you. I read a lot and I was encouraged to speak because I made a lot of sense back then. Ever since I was 12 I've always been told that I sound years ahead of my age.

Do you look back sometimes and think that you've given a lot back as a citizen of the world, more than just being an actress?

I've given nothing. It's nothing in comparison to what I should be doing or what I would like to do. Of course, I can sit here and recount all the times I've helped people and feel really good about it, but there is so much more to do. On an individual level, I will do whatever little I can. I am not over the moon for what I've been doing socially. I am happy to be in a position where I can give.

What makes a busy woman like you juggle the time?

There's always time. For good things there is always time.

Do organisations call you up to support causes or is it your decision to provide them with a helping hand?

Fortunately, because we are actors there are lots of people who approach us. But that approachability only happens when they know for sure that you will come forward. There are lots of actors in the industry and they don't call everyone. There are some actors whom they call because as an organisation they see them doing a certain amount of work. They see you work in one organisation and call you for another. It's like a chain reaction. A lot of the work I do is because these people have come to me.

Anything in particular you dream of doing to support a cause?

I love children, and one of the greatest and the most innocent victims of our society today are children, whether it is lack of education, malnutrition, diseases and so on. There are several problems children face in India. I want to be in a place one day where I can take care of many of them.

Do you look up to Angelina Jolie then?

Not just Angelina Jolie. There are people like Bono and Brad Pitt. Actually, we Indian actors have really done nothing in comparison to what celebrities the world over do. And I'm talking about them spending millions of dollars a year on charitable causes. I really disagree when people say: 'But our actors don't make as much...' Fine, we may not make as much money as them but there are quite a few who are on a par with a few of the actors abroad. But it all boils down to one thing, that it's a personal choice. You don't have to do social work just because you're a celebrity. But when God has given you so much money, power and leadership, you should be able to use it for the wellbeing of all. If I was making as much money as them, I swear I'd be doing a lot more than I'm doing now.

Is it harder to be centred when you're well known?

No. I guess a lot of people say it is. I was 18 and was trying very hard. There was a sense of disillusionment and I didn't feel centred at all. There was a lot that could affect me and I could've swayed but I think it shook me up a lot. And then when my films bombed, I came back to ground zero. I've tasted the mud and realised that this is the job I respect, I have to give a lot to, and nothing comes easy in life.

You're a very good painter too, we've heard.

Kind of, yes. I use a medium called gouache. Unfortunately in Mumbai, oil paintings don't dry properly because of the humidity level in the air. A lot of artists in Mumbai either use acrylic or water. I use gouache paints because it gives you the result of oil and water. It's a magic paint.

Talk us through your forthcoming film, Johnny Mastana.

I have great respect for Sujit Sircar, who has directed the film. I was actually jumping for joy when I got a call from UTV saying that Sujit wanted to meet me regarding the film. It's actually Mr Bachchan's journey and how every character who comes on his journey becomes an integral part of it. I play a girl called Manya. It's a very beautifully scripted film and Mohanan is the director of photography. The film's canvas, the way it looks, is like poetry in motion. The film is in post-production stage and it's a romantic drama.

Any other films you're looking forward to?

Arshad Warsi Productions' Kaun Bola. It's my first romantic comedy drama. Arshad has written the film too. The entire film is shot in Newcastle. It's a very beautifullylayered part. For the first time in my career I felt that Kaun Bola gave me the platform to go all out and show people what I'm all about. We had a blast because I had Boman Irani with me, whom I've called 'Pops' since Lage Raho Munnabhai. He is a sweetheart and my daddy. Sandhya Mridul too is a mad house, and you know what Arshad is capable of doing. Kaun Bola is a Studio 18 film.

So is Kaun Bola special for you?

Yes, and I'll tell you why. I'd never seen a shooting star in my life. I had always wondered why had I never seen one. Well, we were doing this last schedule of the film in Goa. I was sitting on the beach after packing up and was looking up towards the sky. Suddenly I witnessed two shooting stars, one after the other, and got really kicked about it because the film's production company is called Shooting Star Production. It may sound childish, but it's the truth.