Following Farah Khan's vlog, which sparked curiosity about her German connection and family history, Bollywood actor Dia Mirza opened up about her family background and the influences that shaped her childhood in an exclusive chat with India TV.
Mirza says her father was German while her mother is Indian, and she grew up in Hyderabad in the care and wisdom of her adoptive father. While there have always been different cultural influences in her life, she says her childhood and sense of home remain deeply rooted in India.
How Dia Mirza's family shaped her sense of identity
Her father was an artist and a teacher, and although she lost him when she was very young, his influence has remained with her throughout her life. She also credits her mother with having a significant impact on who she is, particularly her relationship with nature, design, beauty, simplicity and conscious living.
Speaking about how these different influences shaped her understanding of identity, Mirza said, "My father was German and my mother is Indian, and I grew up in Hyderabad in the care and wisdom of my adoptive father. So there have always been different cultural influences in my life, but my childhood and my sense of home are deeply rooted in India."
She added, "My father was an artist and a teacher, and although I lost him when I was very young, his influence has remained with me throughout my life. My mother, too, has had an enormous influence on who I am - my relationship with nature, design, beauty, simplicity and conscious living. Perhaps growing up with these different strands also taught me very early that identity doesn’t have to fit neatly into boxes. We are shaped by family, place, memory, relationships and experience. All of those things become part of who we are."
Dia Mirza reflects on 25 years in Bollywood
As she looks back at 25 years in the film industry, Mirza says the biggest difference between the actor who entered Bollywood and the woman she is today is how she approaches fear, approval and expectations. Asked what would surprise the Dia Mirza who entered the industry 25 years ago, she said, "My younger self would probably be surprised by how much less afraid I am."
The actress further told India TV, "At 18 or 19, so much of your life is about seeking approval, being chosen, being liked, being successful, trying to understand where you belong. Twenty-five years later, I think I have finally understood that the most important thing is to know why you are choosing something."
Dia conclude by adding, "I think she would also be amazed by the life that unfolded beyond cinema, the work with nature and the environment, becoming a producer, using my voice for causes I care deeply about, and most importantly, becoming a mother. Perhaps she would be relieved to know that eventually you stop trying so hard to become who the world expects you to be and become much more comfortable being yourself."
For Mirza, the journey has therefore extended well beyond her work as an actor. Her experiences with environmental causes, production and motherhood have all become part of the life she has built away from the screen.
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