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Diya turns a Bad Girl

Dia Mirza is learning how to kick bad literally.
And the otherwise good girl is enjoying it a little too much. “I have been having long working days these days but I am not complaining. I am training for my role in Acid Factory. I have to get used to the cable work and the action stunts. And I never thought it would be so much fun!”

Dia is playing a character called Max in the movie. “She is unapologetic about being bad. We all have yin and yang in us and this character has a little more of black in her. And come to think of it, I have been good far too long. It is time to be bad on screen. In real life, I just can’t help being who I am. But at least on reel I can be bad,” she say. In the movie, six men – Fardeen Khan, Aftab Shivdasani, Danny Denzongpa, Irrfan Khan, Riteish Deshmukh and Manoj Bajpai -- surround Dia. So is she ready for being linked up with any of them? “Oh totally, they are all very cute. I am working with Aftab for the first time but I have worked with the rest of the gang earlier. But I do hope I am not linked with Danny sir.”

Dia’s recent outing on the big screen – an item number for Zindagi Tere Naam – has got mixed reactions with her looking not svelte enough. “Let’s not call it an item number. It was just something I did for a friend,” she explains. But Dia promises a lot more in days to come. “I have six movies in my kitty just now. In fact, when someone asks me why I am still single, I tell them that I really don’t have time. When I am 100 per cent occupied with my work, what is the point of letting someone in my life, only for him to be ignored completely?”

Diya Mirza In Love.....

Talk about south Mumbai and Bollywood diva Dia Mirza cannot stop gushing over the fascinating heritage structures of Mumbai. Dia says, “Beyond any doubt, the heritage monuments in SoBo are magnificent and I wish that I was born during the time these structures were erected."

Her tryst with this city that blends heritage structures with the now contemporary settings started when she was part of the Femina Miss India Pageant in 2000. Dia, who is a native of Hyderabad, recollects, “During the Femina Contest, we were parked at the President Hotel, Cuffe Parade and that was the first time I was actually exposed to the real Mumbai.”

Now, even though Dia has made Bandra her home, her favourite place to hang out is in SoBo. She elaborates, “I love Mahalaxmi Race Course as I enjoy horse riding. It is the only place in Mumbai, where one can have a real riding experience. It transports me back to my childhood days in Hyderabad.”

Talk veers to the whole shopping mall culture, and Dia says she cannot forget that her preliminary mall experience was at Crossroads in Tardeo, which shut shop, some time back. Although, shopping malls are mushrooming in every nook and cranny in the suburbs but her preferred shopping destination still remains at Worli, Atria mall

Apart from shopping and sight seeing, food is another thing that attracts Dia to SoBo. Her taste varies from Italian, Muglai, Chinese and Thai cuisine, but she loves to tickle her taste buds at Indigo, the Colaba-based restaurant that she frequents. On asking her about one thing that distinguishes SoBo from the suburbs, she answers emphatically, “Better roads and infrastructure in south Mumbai certainly sets it apart from the suburbs.”

Movies cannot be a no-no here now, can they?! Speaking about her favourite movies, this former Miss Asia Pacific (2000) winner says, “I am a die-hard movie buff and I enjoy watching drama and action movies such as ET, Gone With The Wind, Before Sunrise, Before Sunset, etc. I am also an ardent fan of Steven Spielberg’s movies.” Dia is currently busy working on Acid Factory directed by Suparn Verma. The other movies waiting in the wings are Shoebite, Kissan, Jai Veeru, Fruit n Nut, etc.

On a concluding note, Dia believes in the concept of ‘keeping your life factual!’

Diya Mirza -The Sexy Item Babe for Ashu's Next

During his heydays, Mithun Chakraborty would have never imagined that some other dancer would ever be roped in to perform on an item number for a flick where he would be the lead protagonist. However, that has now happened with his upcoming film Zindagi Tere Naam which has it's USP as his pairing with Ranjeeta.

Since the film has these veteran actors in the main leads with Priyanka Mehra and Aseem Ali Khan as the younger couple, its director Ashu Trikha has roped in Dia Mirza as an item girl. In the film, she gyrates to a track titled 'Main Soni Hoon' which has been put to tune by Sajid-Wajid and written by Jalees Sherwani.

Incidentally Ashu and Dia go back a long way. The film maker had made his debut with Arjun Rampal starrer Deewanapan which starred Dia as the leading lady. It was only her second film after Rehna Hai Tere Dil Mein. Though Ashu didn't cast her in Neha Dhupia's double role starrer Sheesha, he went back to her with Alag which starred Akshay Kapoor in the lead.

While the fact remains that none of these films have made much moolah at the box office, Ashu and Dia have continued to stick to each other's side and keep their professional relationship floating with Zindagi Tere Naam. A stage number, 'Main Soni Hoon' features Dia Mirza in Indian outfits with her dance steps reminding of Sushmita's gyration in 'Mehboob Mere' [Fiza].