Taking it to art

As a child, Dia Mirza saw no point in learning subjects like geometry, trigonometry or physics. "I was convinced they would be useless in my later life. I have always been inclined towards the arts." The actress --who loves painting and reading, apart from acting --talks to CS about her strong artistic streak:


u00a0u00a0WHO: Dia Mirza
u00a0 WHAT: Talking about her strong artistic streak

Filmy buffu00a0
No Sunday is complete without a film, either before or after a great meal. At home, I have this huge collection of over 2000 DVDs and I am constantly ordering more from Amazon.com. Trust me, it's a great site. It tells you about a particular film, as well as other movies in that genre. So, you get to expand your library and stimulate your interest about films.
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Other than just helping you unwind, I also see films as a form of education. For example, I might watch a film because I want to research on a particular actor's work or because some director has told me to watch it to get the hang of a character. I love biopics, they make fabulous ones in the US, as well as romcoms, dramas and foreign films. I can watch Love Actually, Before Sunrise, Before Sunset, Gandhi and Lage Raho Munnabhai again and again.

Canvas crazy
Oil is a tough medium to work on, especially in the humid weather of Mumbai. I use gouache, which offers an effect similar to water colour. Painting is a very personal form of self-expression for me. It's not just a pastime but a way of unleashing my latent creativity. My father was an artist so creativity runs in my genes.

Throughout my life, I have been more inclined towards arts than other subjects. I enjoy painting landscapes, social themes, abstract, etc. I don't intend to put my works on display as it's a private outlet of my emotions.

Bookish delights
My mom averages three books a week; I can't match her pace because I don't get that much time. I read on flights, in between shots, and before going to bed. Personally, I enjoy books more than reading online. I think the young generation is missing out on a lot by not reading.
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Reading helps you unleash your imagination and lets you know about emotions, cultures, timelines and much more. You travel the world through a book. I also like biographies. They give you a glimpse into the life and times of personalities, and also about certain value systems.

When it comes to Indian English authors, I think they only write stories that they know will sell. So, we end up reading the same stuff! The writers I enjoy are Rudyard Kipling, George Bernard Shaw, Arundhati Roy, Shakespeare and Amitav Ghosh.