Archive · 20 Aug 2026
Dia Mirza Rejects 18-Hour Workdays After Becoming A Mother
Dia Mirza is an actor and a mother.
She said she cannot work extremely long days like she did before.
A 15-hour shoot can become a 17- or 18-hour day when travel is included.
She said this schedule does not leave enough time for her responsibilities at home.
This is especially difficult during shoots lasting several weeks.
Mirza is still doing more work than she has done in a long time.
She said choosing good stories also means working with good people.
She wants film work to happen in a more balanced and disciplined way.
Dia Mirza said she can no longer accept 15-hour shoots that exclude travel time.
She said commuting can add another one to one-and-a-half hours, creating 17- or 18-hour workdays.
Mirza explained that motherhood means she cannot work 18-hour days continuously during long shooting schedules.
She said she is currently doing more work than she has in a very long time.
She emphasized the need for balance, collaboration and disciplined working arrangements.
- Who
- Actor Dia Mirza.
- What
- She said she will not accept work schedules that become 17- or 18-hour days because of long shooting hours and travel.
- Where
- The interview refers to shoots in Mumbai and elsewhere.
- Why
- She wants to balance her work with the responsibilities of motherhood and avoid schedules that leave no time for other needs.
- Workday concern
- Mirza said a 15-hour shoot, excluding travel, can become a 17- or 18-hour workday.
- Travel time
- She said travel to a shoot can take one to one-and-a-half hours.
- Motherhood
- Mirza said she cannot sustain 18-hour workdays as a mother.
- Shooting schedules
- She referred to shoots lasting 21, 30 or 35 days.
- Current workload
- She said she is doing more work than she has in a very long time.
- Preferred approach
- She called for collaborative, balanced and disciplined working arrangements.