Dia Mirza Reveals OTT Came To Her Rescue When She Didn't Have Work: 'It Has Democratised System Of Storytelling'

The prestigious Dadasaheb Phalke International Film Festival Awards 2024 is all set to be held on February 20 and ahead of the gala, the official invite was unveiled at a press conference in Mumbai on Thursday. At the event, actress Dia Mirza, who was one of the guests, opened up on how cinema has always played a major role in shaping the society and how the advent of OTT has been a turning point for the filmmaking industry.

Reflecting on her career spanning over two decades, from her debut Rehnaa Hai Terre Dil Mein in 2001 to her latest outing Dhak Dhak in 2023, Dia shared how her journey has been in tandem with the evolution of cinema in the country. "Our films are a reflection of our society, culture and ideologies. We need our filmmakers to tell good stories so that the people learn good things and work towards eradicating the shortcomings in our society," she stated.

She went on to say, "My journey in the film industry has made me understand the concepts of gender and equality much better than any other job would've helped me understand. The films that I'm most proud of are my first and my last. Because these two films have covered the gap that needed to be covered in the film industry and in the society."

"When Dhak Dhak released last year, I had said that it took us 150 years to make a film that was led by four women, belonging to different age groups, who were telling their stories. It was about defeating our fears and stepping out of our shells to taste real freedom. My journey over the last 23 years has been very similar to the story of Dhak Dhak. When I made my debut with RHTDM, there used to be very few women on the sets as it was majorly populated and run by men, but today, there are many more women on our film sets, working across various departments, and that is really an achievement for the society," she explained.

Dia also mentioned that the rise of OTT platforms has been a boon for cinema as it had opened a number of avenues for actors and storytellers. She shared that there was a time in her career when she was out of work and that is when OTT came to her rescue. "When Kaafir was offered to me, at that time I was actually sitting at home and I was not getting any work in films. But I'm glad it came to me and I decided to do it as it's one of the best stories that I've been a part of. It's one of the most nuanced characters that I have been able to portray," she stated.

"When it comes to theatrical releases, very few films can be made because there are too many permutations and combinations, too many stresses and pressures. But with OTT, the system has opened up, and it has given a lot of opportunities to a lot of people, including myself. Directors, editors, cinematographers, actors, everyone gets the opportunity to come forward and showcase their art," she added.

On a parting note, Dia thanked OTT platforms for providing a sense of freedom to storytellers. "I truly believe that OTT has democratised the system of storytelling, because here, it's purely the audience who decide what they want to consume. OTT has also offered us the freedom to tell stories and I hope we continue to remain free and not hold back from showcasing stories the way they need to be shown," she concluded.