By 2004-05, Mirza had stopped chasing stardom, choosing instead to focus on meaningful stories and projects she believed in.
“I’ve pursued meaning over material,” she said, adding that the reason behind telling a story mattered more to her than commercial success.
Creating her own opportunities
Mirza ventured into film production at 24, determined to create opportunities rather than wait for the industry to offer her the roles she wanted. Her production ventures included Love Breakups Zindagi (2011) and Bobby Jasoos (2014), starring Vidya Balan.
“If I’m not going to get a seat at the table, I’m going to build my own table,” she said.
The actor credits the 2019 web series Kaafir, in which she played Kainaaz Akhtar, with marking a turning point in her career. Her role as Manyata Dutt in Sanju (2018) also opened up new opportunities.
Mirza said she has always prioritised the depth of a character over screen time or whether she plays the lead.
“I’ve never pursued length. I’ve always pursued depth,” she said, explaining that she is drawn to layered, complex female characters that contribute meaningfully to a story.
Reflecting on women’s representation in Indian cinema, she said awareness of patriarchy and misogyny had grown considerably over the past decade. She cited Anubhav Sinha’s Thappad as an example of cinema exploring these issues sensitively.
Offering advice to aspiring actors, Mirza stressed that careers need not be limited by early setbacks.
“There is no shelf life. You decide how long you want to work for,” she said, emphasizing the importance of continuous learning, integrity and commitment.
With inputs from Agencies
Devadasan K P is the Chief Visual Editor at Gulf News, bringing more than 27 years of experience in photojournalism to the role. He leads the Visual desk with precision, speed, and a strong editorial instinct.
Whether he’s selecting images of royalty, chasing the biggest celebrity moments in Dubai, or covering live events himself, Devadasan is always a few steps ahead of the action.
Over the years, he has covered a wide range of major assignments — including the 2004 tsunami in Sri Lanka, the 2005 Kashmir earthquake, feature reportage from Afghanistan, the IMF World Bank meetings, and wildlife series from Kenya.
His work has been widely recognised with industry accolades, including the Minolta Photojournalist of the Year award in 2005, the Best Picture Award at the Dubai Shopping Festival in 2008, and a Silver Award from the Society for News Design in 2011.
He handles the newsroom pressure with a calm attitude, a quick response time, and his signature brand of good-natured Malayali humour. There’s no fuss — just someone who gets the job done very well, every single time.