6th April 2023, Mumbai: Dia Mirza shot to fame after the massive success of the movie ‘Rehnaa Hai Terre Dil Mein’ (‘RHTDM’). However, if the same movie was made today, it would likely face criticism from the woke audience for certain elements. For instance, in the movie, R Madhavan’s character, Maddy, constantly stalks Dia Mirza’s character, Reena Malhotra.
Additionally, he even impersonates Saif Ali Khan’s character and deceives Dia Mirza’s character to manipulate her into falling in love with him. Today’s youth, who may be watching the film for the first time, are expressing their disgust over these particular plotlines.
In present times, the socially conscious audience would not condone behaviours such as stalking, deceit, and manipulation, even if they are depicted as a means to achieve genuine love. Furthermore, the actress, Dia Mirza, has also publicly discussed her concerns about these problematic aspects of the movie ‘RHTDM’.
I cannot comment on the possibility of that film being made, as there are many different types of films being produced. However, if I were offered a role in that film, I would raise concerns about certain aspects of the story and hope that the writers would make necessary changes. While working on the film “Reena Malhotra,” I became acutely aware of the importance of portraying love in the right manner. I am firmly against stalking and believe it is a reprehensible act. In the film, Maddy’s character not only stalks Reena but also lies to her. While Reena eventually discovers the truth and breaks off the relationship, she later realises that Maddy is remorseful and genuinely cares for her.
However, there is no justification for stalking, and lying is also wrong. Unfortunately, some recent films have featured similar scenes that have been popular at the box office. As a society, we seem to have normalised stalking, and I believe our films have played a significant role in perpetuating this harmful belief.