A few days ago, we had reported about Dia Mirza receiving social media backlash for her ‘tonedeaf’ anecdotal comment about her 5-year old son reprimanding a coconut seller for using plastic bags. On Thursday, Richa Chadha stepped forward to defend Dia, firing back at her critics.
Taking to her X page, Richa penned a long note about how actors often become easy targets for social media criticism. She wrote, “Y’all wonder why actors don’t speak up ? (Damned if you do, damned if you don’t!) Women with privilege will be shamed if say anything outside the syllabus. Lipstick, bikini, GRWM, OOTD, make-up haul et al. Of course punch up yaar, actors ki mental health ka kya hai (who cares about actors’ mental health).”
Also recounting Dia’s contributions towards protecting environment, Richa wrote, “Dia is involved with a bamboo paper company, (means no trees are cut to manufacture paper), and WITHOUT, a plastic recycling start up that makes very cool sunglasses. She’s also produced a lovely short on the climate. Dia does more for ecological restoration in a day - than YT bloggers (who could well give Perez Hilton a run for his money) or arguably you - do in a whole year. Those who want to do good in the world, do so at a great personal cost. Call them hypocrites because the urgent work today, right now, is to shame them.” Richa also shared a few photos of some of the trees, among the 1100, that Dia gave her as a wedding gift.
A few days ago, a clip went viral where Dia Mirza, while appearing on Soha Ali Khan’s podcast, could be heard sharing an anecdote about her 5-year-old son lightly reprimanding a coconut seller. She had said, “This poor boy didn’t know whom he was delivering. So Avyaan opens the door and says, ‘Bhaiya plastic me kyon lekar aaye hai? hamare ghar mein plastic not allowed. Aap usko plastic se nikalo, usko neeche rakho aur plastic aur straw leke jao (Bhaiya, why have you brought these in plastic? Plastic is not allowed in our home. Take out the coconuts from the bag, and take back the plastic and straw.”