Last year, Deepika Padukone's exit from Spirit and Kalki 2898 AD sparked a debate about fixed working hours for actors in the film industry.
However, more than a decade earlier, actors often worked gruelling schedules. Actor Dia Mirza recently recalled how, despite being a debutant, she would work for 27 to 28 hours at a stretch, and that too without receiving a script.
Dia then said, "People whom you say you launched, when I used to hear stories about the level of love, care and attention you gave them. Unke workshops karwaye, classes lagwaye, tameez seekhayi ki acting kya hoti hai, dance classes karwaaye (you made them attend workshops, enrolled them in classes, taught them proper etiquette and what acting really is, and even arranged dance classes for them), diction coaching, I had nothing of that sort."
She added, "Seedha 5 picturon mein kaam karne bhej diya, din ke 24 ghante, 27, 28 ghante non-stop. I used to always tell you, once you work with Pooja Films, you are prepared to work with any production house in the country. Because we worked hard. Didn't get any script. Bas online sunaya aur bola yeh superhit hone waali hai, isko karlo bas (I was immediately sent to work on five films at once, working 24 hours a day — 27, 28 hours non-stop. I always used to say that once you've worked with Pooja Films, you're prepared to work with any production house in the country because we worked incredibly hard. We never even got a script. They would simply narrate the story over the phone and say, 'This is going to be a superhit, just do it,' and that was it)."
Dia made her acting debut in 2001 with the romantic drama Rehnaa Hai Terre Dil Mein. Directed by Gautham Vasudev Menon and starring R. Madhavan, Saif Ali Khan and Dia in the lead roles, the film underperformed at the box office upon release but later attained cult status. The film was backed by Pooja Entertainment. Her second film, Deewaanapan, was also produced by Vashu Bhagnani, but it too failed to make an impact at the box office.
Dia is currently awaiting the release of her upcoming film, Ikka. Directed by Siddharth P Malhotra and produced by Alchemy Films, Ikka revolves around a high-stakes legal battle in which the lines between justice, morality and personal loyalty become increasingly blurred. Apart from Dia, the film also stars Sunny Deol, Akshaye Khanna, Tillotama Shome, Sanjeeda Shaikh, Shishir Sharma and Akansha Ranjan Kapoor in key roles. The film is scheduled to premiere on Netflix on 10 July.
Riya Sharma is a content producer at Hindustan Times who lives and breathes entertainment. If there’s gossip making noise in Bollywood or a reality show moment breaking the internet, chances are she’s already writing about it. She loves digging out the juiciest stories, spotting viral pegs and turning it into easy-to-read content. A journalism graduate from IP University, Riya began her career as a social media executive, where she learned the art of grabbing attention in a scroll-heavy world. But her love for showbiz soon pulled her into entertainment journalism, because for her, it’s always been entertainment, entertainment and more entertainment. An artist at heart, Riya has a deep passion for acting, music and dance, which shapes how she watches and writes about films and reality shows. She loves sharing her views and reviews, especially when something excites, surprises or completely disappoints her. A hardcore reality show fan, Riya enjoys tracking every twist, task and meltdown, and breaking them down for readers who can’t get enough of high-voltage drama. Movies are equally close to her heart, whether it’s a big theatrical release or a binge-worthy OTT series, she’s always watching, and analysing what’s worth the time. She loves talking to celebrities, asking questions that go beyond the usual. When she’s not working, she’s either glued to a new web series, hunting for underrated thrillers on OTT platforms, or rewatching iconic Bollywood moments.Read More