I really hope UP bans single-use plastic products: Dia Mirza

Prachi Arya
Former Miss Asia Pacific, actress and a producer, Dia Mirza, known for her work in films 'Rehnaa Hai Terre Dil Mein' and 'Dus', was recently in Lucknow to attend a friend’s wedding. Taking out time from the wedding ceremonies, the actress met us for an exclusive interaction.
Lucknow became the city which was housing my cubs
Dia, a frequent visitor to Lucknow, said she just couldn't get over the city because of its beautiful environment and the warmth of the people here."I always enjoyed coming back to Lucknow. It's a city that reminds me so much of our culture, our history. It has so much in common with the city I have grown up in, which is Hyderabad. Of course, the biryani tussle still continues between the two cities as to which one is better. But it is a city which has always come across to me as a very warm and beautiful place." She further added, "It's been an interesting experience for me to keep visiting Lucknow for 17 years now. Each time I come back, I see it in a different way. And it also happens because of the people I meet here on every visit. I remember the time, about 7-8 years ago, when I was invited by the Lucknow Zoo authorities where I had adopted two cheetah cubs. So Lucknow became the city which was housing my cubs. Since then of course, my love for environment conservation has only grown and I have evolved so much with that kind of work. And today I look at the zoo and I think that if it wasn’t for the zoo, the animals would be free."
Sriji was an integral part of my childhood
Dia shared a close bond with actress Sridevi. She couldn't help but remember the 'Chandni' actress and said, "Losing such a strong personality is a great personal loss for me. Sriji was an integral part of my childhood and it's just unfathomable that she is no more. I know it’s the reality of life but she left us so young. One would have never imagined that Sriji would leave us at such a young age. I remember so many childhood memories related to her. Dancing to 'Mere Hathon Mein Nau Nau Choodiyan Hai' at my caretaker’s daughter's wedding. Her songs, her music, her eyes, her performances, everything had its own aura."
Dia adds, "I was so saddened after seeing the movie Sadma because her acting in it was so touching. What a powerful performance she gave with Kamal sir in that film. And when I met her after so long, after I became a part of the industry, she came out to be such a shy, reticent person. I remember asking her once that ‘ma’am whenever I see you in a film, you are always another person. It’s like when the camera comes on, you become something else’ and she laughed and said ‘yes that’s me’. She was always very warm, very affectionate. And the last time when I met her was at a friend’s 50th birthday party and I had a very long conversation with her."
An emotional Dia, added, "I have been watching her interviews, kind of revisiting them. I guess we all are trying to hold on to pieces. I noticed one thing that she never enjoyed talking about herself. She had a body of work of over 300 films or maybe more, she never rested on her laurels. She never seemed to have ever spoken much about herself, like we do usually. She broke several glass ceilings in her life time. She never spoke about it. And today we acknowledge the glass ceiling and the work she has done. How she had busted so many stereotypes. Sriji was a very powerful woman in a man’s industry. Today we talk about it but she never did. For me, her loss is very personal because I saw so much of her work while growing up. I felt so connected to her body of work and I enjoyed it so much. I relate to it so much that it is just impossible for me to digest that she is no more."
Dia, the UN Environment’s Goodwill Ambassador for India!
The actress who produced 'Bobby Jasoos', works as an environmentalist and has been recently appointed the UN Environment’s Goodwill Ambassador for India. Since then she is committed to educate people on how to be environment-friendly. "You get appointed as the UN Ambassador when they acknowledge the fact that you are passionate and committed to raising awareness and improving the quality of the environment. And environment for me is an area that I am fiercely committed to. Human beings have this capability to separate themselves from nature and live without nature but the fact is that it is far from the truth. Everything that we need for our existence comes from nature!. Right from the food we eat and the air we need. I love children and I can't understand and accept the kind of world we are creating for our children. And the way we are making them suffer because of our ignorance and apathy," said the actress who will be seen next in Sanjay Dutt’s biopic releasing later this year.
Dia Mirza with husband Sahil Sangha at Gomti Nagar, Lucknow (BCCL/ Farhan Ahmad Siddiqui)
I endorse biodegradable sanitary napkins
Being a staunch environmentalist and a treasurer of nature, the actress made a revelation that she does not use sanitary napkins because of its harmful effect, and instead uses biodegradable ones. Talking about this, Mirza said, "Yes, there are a lot of brands and products that I have refused to endorse over the years because I have started evaluating the impact that these things have on our lives and the planet. I endorse biodegradable sanitary napkins. I think it’s imperative now than ever before, for India to make sustainable feminine hygiene accessible to women and there is of course a need to give women personal hygiene but alongside we must keep in mind the mental impact of that personal hygiene. I don't even use those sanitary napkins because I feel that the chain should start from you. If I don’t segregate waste at home, if I don’t start replacing plastics by all sustainable methods, if I don't refuse a plastic straw before ordering a drink, if I don't do these things then how can I ever hope to inspire more people to do the same? There is so much ideally I want to change but I understand that we live in an urban centric world and I am not growing my own food and various items of consumption. I really hope Uttar Pradesh bans single-use plastic products. I think it’s essential for the sake of our rivers, our water bodies because we are still to put in place sustainable waste management systems. I think as citizens, we should be aware of what we are doing and what will be their repercussions. I know educated, exposed individuals who don’t care about using plastic bags. My vegetable vendor tells me ki main aapko kya bataun abhi badi gaadi main people come and when I offer them paper bags toh they insist on my giving them plastic bags. This is the scenario. We live in a society where people want to do yoga, detox their body, go for various healthy stuff but they don’t want to change their lifestyle. UP has got so many cities this year on the red flag in pollution. And Kanpur and Lucknow were there on the top," added the actress.
I got to hear some crazy rumours that I have stopped acting
The actress who has been missing from the silver screen, believes that people develop misconceptions and make their own conclusions and stereotypes in an actor’s absence from screen. "I think people in our world do not understand plurality. They don't understand multiplicity. We imagine that if one person is doing something, that's all they should be doing and they should not be or they cannot do anything else. I am a seeker so I am constantly looking for different things in my life and I really enjoy producing the films that I have made. And while I was in production, I got to hear some crazy rumours that I have stopped acting. There is an assumption again that perhaps if you are married, you are not acting anymore. Also that if you are producing then you are not acting any more. There are like multiple stereotypes attached to women. I really think it's about the kind of choices that we make as individuals to break these stereotypes. I am so excited that Anushka is doing what she is doing, Alia is doing what she is doing. I think each one of us is capable of doing more than one thing which is what I am doing," said Mirza.
— Prachi Arya