Dia Mirza says rape scene in Kaafir left her physically shaking: ‘I remember throwing up’

Dia Mirza’s 2019 series Kaafir, featuring Mohit Raina, has now been launched as a movie. The actress portrayed an innocent Pakistani woman who unintentionally crosses the LOC and arrives on the Indian side. Dia recently shared her thoughts on a specific rape scene in the series that profoundly impacted her.

Dia portrays Kainaaz Akhtar, who is unjustly incarcerated with her daughter, born while she was in prison. In an interview, the actor talked about how filming the rape scene for the series was both physically and emotionally challenging.

“I remember when we shot the rape scene, it was so hard. I was shaking physically after we got done with filming that scene. I remember throwing up. I vomited after we finished rolling that entire sequence. That’s how emotionally and physically demanding those situations were. When you take your entire body into the truth of that moment, you feel it. You feel it in its full extent,” the actress said.

Dia, 43, emphasised that as an artist, it is imperative to empathise with the character as it helps to bring authenticity and conviction in the performance.

“I think the first and most important thing one needs to feel as an artist is empathy towards the character that you’re playing and embodying. So that when you play, you’re absolutely true to the story and to everything within it. Playing Kainaaz actually made me a mother much before I became a biological mother. It was because of the kind of intensity and ferocity and love and protectiveness I felt for her while working on the show,” Dia said.

Kaafir draws inspiration from the true story of Shehnaaz Parveen, a Pakistani woman who was arrested in India and imprisoned for eight years after she inadvertently crossed the LOC. The movie depicts a journalist portrayed by Mohit Raina who pursues justice for Dia’s Kainaaz Akhtar as she endures a challenging period in prison.