As actress Dia Mirza celebrates a remarkable 25-year milestone in the film industry, she is gearing up for her next major project, the Netflix courtroom drama Still. While her decades of experience have made her a master of her craft, the actress recently opened up about the genuine anxiety she felt while filming high-stakes scenes alongside industry legends Sunny Deol and Akshaye Khanna. Reflecting on her journey, Dia discussed the challenges of on-screen chemistry and the unexpected moments of hesitation that defined her time on the Still set.
Facing the Jitters: From Akshaye Khanna to Sunny Deol
The first day on the set of Still proved to be a trial by fire for Dia, who was immediately tasked with intense, high-pressure scenes. She recalled being particularly nervous about a scene involving Akshaye Khanna, where her character had to slap him. “Akshaye has a massive fan following, and I was genuinely scared about the potential backlash from fans after they saw me slap him on screen,” she admitted. The pressure only mounted when she had to transition to a deeply emotional sequence with Sunny Deol. With no prior workshops or time to build rapport, the duo was thrust into a complex car scene requiring deep, layered chemistry. The actress confessed to trembling, fearing whether she could portray years of shared history with a co-star she was meeting for the very first time.
The ‘Hug’ That Broke the Ice
The tension dissolved once the cameras rolled, thanks to Sunny Deol’s professional grace, which helped Dia shed her inhibitions. A particularly lighthearted moment occurred before a scripted hug, where a nervous Dia instinctively asked, “Should I hug you?” Sunny’s bewildered response—asking why she would even feel the need to ask such a question—helped ground the scene. Reflecting on the courtroom theme of the movie, Dia was asked what real-world issue she would personally take to court. She didn’t hesitate: “I find the narrative surrounding ‘beauty with brains’ deeply disturbing. The assumption that a woman cannot be both beautiful and intelligent is a prejudice that absolutely belongs in a courtroom.”
A Quarter-Century of Artistic Evolution
For Dia Mirza, her role in Still is a testament to the preparation and growth she has cultivated over the last 25 years. She describes her current phase as an actor as a blend of everything she has learned, noting that the essence of conveying a character’s depth through minimal dialogue remains the same regardless of time. As she looks forward to the release of this Netflix drama, her performance is highly anticipated, promising to showcase both her seasoned expertise and her unwavering commitment to bringing complex, nuanced women to the forefront of Indian cinema.
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