Dia Mirza shares her candid experience with everyday sexism in Bollywood (Express Archive Photo by Pradip Das)Actor and activist Dia Mirza once candidly spoke about the subtle yet persistent sexism she encountered during her early years in the Hindi film industry.In a conversation that pulled no punches, Dia told Zoom TV: “And I will never shy from saying this, but the first time I felt respected and valued on a film set was when I worked for VVC (Vidhu Vinod Chopra). Before that, it had never happened. And I’d worked with the biggest producers and some of the biggest acting teams, actors, everything. Co-actors are very different. Women are always treated with a lot of love and are very special on set, but you know, there’s no respect for your time. There’s no respect for many things that men are respected far more for, and it’s just like nomenclature. It’s something that they do. No questions asked.”Dia’s honesty lays bare a reality that many women in the industry have whispered about but rarely spoken publicly — the surface-level admiration masking a lack of genuine professional respect.The actor recalled how working on Lage Raho Munna Bhai under Vidhu Vinod Chopra’s banner and with filmmaker Rajkumar Hirani finally gave her a glimpse of a healthier, more respectful work culture. “And then we did Lage Raho Munna Bhai together, and I was like, ‘Ye toh kamaal hai, itni khushi ho sakti hai logon ke saath kaam karke.’ I could feel so much peace, joy, and love.”This positive experience marked a turning point. Feeling newly empowered, Dia decided to take a deliberate step back from the hectic pace of Bollywood. “After I worked with Raju Hirani, I said, you know what, I am going to spend time just living a little. I’m going to work less. I want to step back, take one or two years off if I have to, just do lots of workshops,” she said.This period of introspection coincided with a personal loss — the death of her adoptive father — and prompted Dia to re-evaluate her place within the film industry. “The grief took me inward and made me realise what this trap is that I’m stuck in. I’m just being commodified and sexualised, and I’m not sure whether this is the path that really gives me joy.”Dia’s words serve as a reminder that behind the glamour of Bollywood lies a more complex and often difficult path for women, even for those already successful.Story continues below this adAccording to counselling psychologist Srishti Vatsa, these types of put-downs often aren’t questions. “They are actually power moves. Especially, disguised as humour or offhand remarks. These are called microaggressions—subtle, often unintentional slights that communicate bias or disrespect. You feel small, dismissed, or just like something is definitely off,” she explained.Vatsa says that when the person doing it holds more power, such as your boss or a family elder, it’s harder to respond. “You’re expected to laugh it off, be polite, not create a scene. That pressure silences many people.”You can try to set boundaries like Dia did. “You don’t need dramatic responses. Sometimes, a calm ‘That wasn’t funny’ or a pause is enough. Or even silence. You don’t need to perform your discomfort for someone else to take it seriously.”Vatsa added that when someone regularly puts you down, it’s tempting to adjust yourself to avoid attention. But you don’t need to become smaller so someone else can feel bigger. That’s not your responsibility. For more lifestyle news, click here to join our WhatsApp Channel and also follow us on Instagram© IE Online Media Services Pvt LtdTags:dia mirzasexism