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Dia Mirza has revisited one of the more difficult experiences from the early years of her Bollywood career. Looking back at the 2004 film Tumsa Nahin Dekha, the actress spoke about filming its song ‘Mujhe Tumse Mohabbat Hai’ and the discomfort she initially felt while shooting in revealing clothes in front of a large male crew.

For Mirza, however, the experience eventually became more than just a challenging day on set. She said it helped her become more comfortable with her body and gave her a sense of confidence she had not previously felt.

Dia Mirza Opens Up About The Challenging Shoot

Speaking to Bollywood Bubble, Mirza recalled the circumstances surrounding the song's filming. She had to perform in very little clothing while being surrounded by a sizeable group of men on the set.

The actress acknowledged that the experience was far from easy, particularly as a young woman at the beginning of her career. She also credited choreographer Vaibhavi Merchant and the rest of the team for creating an environment in which she felt protected and supported.

She said, “It freed me in ways I had never imagined. The confidence with which I was able to perform the song was largely because of choreographer Vaibhavi Merchant and the entire team. They made me feel very safe. But as a girl, this was probably one of the most difficult things I have ever done. I had to shoot on set in undergarments infront of hundredof men."

How The Experience Shaped Her As An Actor

Mirza also talked about how her understanding of acting had developed by that stage. For her, getting the essence of a character right mattered more than the number of people watching a performance.

She said, “By then, I had understood how important it is for an actor to understand the truth of their character and what they want to convey through it. So, for me, it didn’t matter whether there were 500 people in the room or 1,000.”

The actress added that several experiences from the first part of her career continue to influence the performer she is today. She believes the challenges she has faced over the years have helped her bring more detail, depth and truth to her work.

She further said, “There are many experiences from the early years of my career that have helped shape the artist I am today. If I am able to bring nuance, depth or something truthful from my own life to a scene, it is because of the things I have gone through and overcome over the past 25 years. It is an ongoing process, and I hope to keep learning and becoming better as I move forward.”

 ‘Tumsa Nahin Dekha’ Helped Change Her Body Confidence

Mirza also spoke about growing up in a conservative family in Hyderabad and how that influenced the way she viewed herself. She said she wasn't particularly confident about her body when she was younger.

According to the actress, working on Tumsa Nahin Dekha marked a turning point, with the ‘Mujhe Tumse Mohabbat Hai’ song in particular making her feel more liberated.

“I come from a conservative background in Hyderabad. I wasn’t very confident about my body. That film made me much more confident about myself and my body. In particular, the song ‘Mujhe Tumse Mohabbat Hai’ made me feel very liberated.”

Dia Mirza’s Latest Work

On the work front, Dia Mirza was recently seen in the Netflix web series Operation Safed Sagar. The series is based on an Indian Air Force air mission during the 1999 Kargil War and received praise for her performance.

The cast also includes Jimmy Sheirgill, Siddharth, Vinay Pathak, Manu Rishi Chadha, Abhay Verma, Harsh A. Singh, Adil Hussain and Barun Sobti.