“Max is not just dark. She’s fun, charming, arrogant and confident” – Dia Mirza

6 Things You Didn’t Know About Dia I have this amazing ability to disappear when I am upset and then reappear as if nothing had ever happened! When I am emotionally wrought, Read More">I sleep. I always wake up feeling much better. I love being at home and cleaning. Whether it is scrubbing the bathroom tilesRead More

6 Things You Didn't Know About Dia

• I have this amazing ability to disappear when I am upset and then reappear as if nothing had ever happened!


• When I am emotionally wrought, I sleep. I always wake up feeling much better.


• I love being at home and cleaning. Whether it is scrubbing the bathroom tiles or sweeping, mopping the floor or dusting, I'll do it myself if I feel it's not done well.


• I have to wash my feet every night before I get into bed. Even if I've had a bath a little earlier!


• I have never kept a single painting of mine. I always paint for someone and gift it to that person.


• I love sleeping with my windows open on a rainy night so I can hear the sound of the rain when I am asleep. The combination of the sound of the wind chimes and rain gives me a great sense of peace.

Photographs by Harsh Man Rai / MW

Dainty, dreamy, elfin… all these adjectives once described Dia Mirza. The operative word here being ‘once’. But today, there’s a new Ms. Mirza in the house who audaciously demands nothing less than sexy, Read More">sultry and a host of other femme fatal-esque synonyms to be bestowed on her. This sudden volte-face from sweet to sexy isRead More

Dainty, dreamy, elfin… all these adjectives once described Dia Mirza. The operative word here being 'once'. But today, there's a new Ms. Mirza in the house who audaciously demands nothing less than sexy, sultry and a host of other femme fatal-esque synonyms to be bestowed on her. This sudden volte-face from sweet to sexy is all thanks to her upcoming Sanjay Gupta film Acid Factory, which has the actor playing the anti-heroine, 'Max' - a cold, manipulative character that Dia admits is "the darkest side of me." Even her Facebook message board mirrors her state of mind, "I am working harder than ever because Max is the most challenging character to play." But a challenge is something the 26-year-old claims to like and even crave at times. "As an actor, I feel it's important to be able to essay different roles. Each one of us has so many layers, so many facets to our personality," she purrs languidly as she takes a break from painting her lips a saucy scarlet. "It is unfortunate that most characters in Indian cinema are one-dimensional. Max is not just dark. She's fun, charming, arrogant, proud, indifferent and confident. Most of which we all are or can be… or perhaps would like to be."

Photographs by Harsh Man Rai / MW

Getting a vicarious thrill from playing a woman like ‘Max’ is one thing, but finding a hidden part of your personality in a dark character is a whole new ball game. “Even though Max is dark, I think she’s still inspirational. That’s the side that excites me, ” she says, Read More">laughing with manic exhilaration. “It’s thatRead More

Getting a vicarious thrill from playing a woman like 'Max' is one thing, but finding a hidden part of your personality in a dark character is a whole new ball game. "Even though Max is dark, I think she's still inspirational. That's the side that excites me," she says, laughing with manic exhilaration. "It's that facet of my personality that upbringing, emotional intelligence, and perseverance to be the best person that I can be has disallowed me to explore. I'm having so much fun being Max that sometimes it scares me how good it feels to be bad!"

Photographs by Harsh Man Rai / MW

And the metamorphosis is apparent, not just in her well-toned, lean bod, Read More">but in her demeanor as well. She looks me dead straight in the eye while adroitly fielding a volley of questions the Dia of old would vacillate over. Especially the one where I ask her if her decision to play Max was aRead More

And the metamorphosis is apparent, not just in her well-toned, lean bod, but in her demeanor as well. She looks me dead straight in the eye while adroitly fielding a volley of questions the Dia of old would vacillate over. Especially the one where I ask her if her decision to play Max was a calculated move to veer away from her girl-next-door persona. "No character I choose to play is a calculation. I do a film if it excites me. Acid Factory is a high-octane thriller with an ensemble cast, wherein the characters are dueling against each other in a deadly battle for survival."

Photographs by Harsh Man Rai / MW

Speaking of an ensemble cast, this one has her pitted against six guys – Fardeen Khan, Danny Denzongpa, Manoj Bajpai, Aftab Shivdasani, Dino Morea and Irrfan Khan. So, Read More">what was it being the only girl in a seemingly out and out guy movie? “It can be exasperating and exhilarating in the same breath! Exasperating becauseRead More

Speaking of an ensemble cast, this one has her pitted against six guys - Fardeen Khan, Danny Denzongpa, Manoj Bajpai, Aftab Shivdasani, Dino Morea and Irrfan Khan. So, what was it being the only girl in a seemingly out and out guy movie? "It can be exasperating and exhilarating in the same breath! Exasperating because when the boys get together they can get really carried away and exhilarating because when you finally get down to doing a shot and you are alongside them, the energy is fantastic. Also the script is so cleverly written, coupled with the fact that I'm the only woman amidst all these men is highly invigorating." On a more personal note, besides her alleged link-up with actor Kunal Kapoor, these have been lonely times for her, right? "I will be in a relationship the day I am ready to share my life with someone. I don't wish to date somebody out of a need to be with someone."

Photographs by Harsh Man Rai / MW