Dia Mirza Shares Her Parenting Mantra For Samaira And Avyaan: ‘They Are Not Judged’

On Mother’s Day, Dia Mirza opened up about motherhood, parenting, body-shaming, work-life balance and the emotional realities of raising children in a blended family. In a conversation with SCREEN, the actor spoke about her daughter Samaira, son Avyaan, and how becoming a mother has reshaped both her personal life and professional choices.

Dia is married to businessman Vaibhav Rekhi. The couple shares a son, Avyaan Azaad Rekhi. Dia is also stepmother to Samaira, Vaibhav’s daughter from his previous marriage.

Dia Mirza On Parenting Samaira And Avyaan

Speaking about her relationship with 17-year-old Samaira and five-year-old Avyaan, Dia said the dynamics are very different with both children. She shared that her parenting approach is rooted in allowing

children to feel secure, loved and accepted.

“The dynamic is very different with Samaira and Avyaan. I’ve always approached parenting with one simple principle, child-led. It is very important as a parent that your children feel loved, safe, and they are not judged. With Samaira, it is very different because she is 17 and going through a roller coaster of changes. Its extremely challenging,” she said.

Dia added that parenting also forces her to look inward and examine her own responses. “Sometimes, it brings out the worst side of me, and makes me internalise about how I can show up better. It also makes you extremely vulnerable. With the younger one, he has such a distinct personality. They are so different but so alike. It’s so interesting to see their dynamic, love, and really incredible bond. Samaira becomes 7 when she is with Avyaan.”

Dia On Blended Family Dynamics

Reflecting on her blended family, Dia said she does not look at it through a fixed template because every family has its own emotional rhythm.

“Honestly, I don’t think about it at all, because I think every family is unique and the emotional landscape of each family is different. In our case, we are learning and navigating everyday, trying to do our best. That’s enough, that’s all that really matters. The children understand that there is a core unit and that’s the four of us, and nothing in the world can shake it,” she said.

Dia Mirza On Body-Shaming After Motherhood

During the conversation, Dia was also asked about the pressure women face after pregnancy, especially in the wake of actor Swara Bhasker calling out trolls for body-shaming her over post-pregnancy weight gain.

Dia said motherhood affects every woman differently and should not be generalised. “But ofcourse, there are certain common factors, the expectation to be a certain body type, the judgement that comes with it, the kind of roles that are offered or not offered because you are a certain body type.”

Calling such expectations unfair, the actor added, “The expectation and judgement is ridiculous. It’s so unfair. It’s not just the industry, it is happening to women in society at large. I find it appalling and deeply disrespectful. There are social structures on how women should look or behave after having a baby. No one has the right to tell so, except what she wants herself. One size doesn’t fit all, every woman’s body doesn’t respond the same way to pregnancy.”

Dia Says Motherhood Changed Her Choices

Dia also reflected on how motherhood has affected her career. She said the industry has changed over the years, even though there is still much work to be done.

“But for me, I feel like the industry has definitely evolved. There’s a lot of work to do, but it has improved. Motherhood was seen as an end point in the 80s and 90s. Those are also the choices the leading ladies made at that time. But with time, the narratives are changing and the audience is more accepting. I don’t feel the need to chase everything. Purpose matters deeply now than ever before. I have gotten my life’s best parts after I became a mother,” she shared.

Dia On Work-Life Balance As A Mother

Dia also weighed in on the conversation around working mothers and flexible schedules, especially after Deepika Padukone advocated for an eight-hour workday.

“I think a human being’s response to a mother’s request at workplace is just a reflection of their values and humanity. I am not going to generalise again. I have been so lucky to have worked with cooperative filmmakers. When I was shooting Bheed with Anubhav Sinha, Avyaan was an infant. We were shooting in the outskirts of Uttar Pradesh. I told him that I can’t stay here non-stop for 25 days, I’ve to go back to my child,” she said.

She added, “I can’t be away from him for extended periods of time. And the producers didn’t flinch, they were fine with it. I’ve had experiences with some people where there has never been an unnecessary demand on my time. It is all about finding collaborators who respect you, your motherhood and understand that there is some level of accomodation that they need to do.”

Dia Mirza’s Work Front

On the work front, Dia Mirza will next be seen in Ikka, alongside Sunny Deol and Akshaye Khanna. She also has two OTT shows lined up, one with Nawazuddin Siddiqui and another with Jimmy Shergill. Apart from these, Dia will also be seen in an untitled romantic drama with Rahul Bhat.