Zayed and me have not been utilized to the right potential: Dia

Mumbai: Actress-turned-producer Dia Mirza says both she and co-actor-producer Zayed Khan have been grossly under-utilized in Bollywood and feel that they have the chops to make it big themselves.

"Both of us have not been utilized to the right potential. But, we are go getters, born survivors and fighters. We have faith and conviction in our dreams and aspirations. If nobody else does, we can do it for ourselves," Dia told reporter. Dia, Zayed along with Sahil Sangha have formed a production company "Born Free Entertainment" and the first film "Love, Breakups, Zindagi" goes on floors from tomorrow. The film, written and directed by Sahil, stars both Dia and Zayed in the lead along with host of other actors. Dia said she got close to Zayed during his wedding. "Zayed and me become close friends when he was getting married to Malaika. I was completely involved in the wedding. Preparing the skit for him, getting Hrithik, Riteish and all his friends together, co-ordinating the rehearsals. I think we really formed a bond since this was the big moment in his life. Since then I have been part of all the big moments in Zayed`s life ...right from Malaika`s pregnancy till baby Zidaan was born and took his baby steps," she said. The 29-year-old actress described Malaika, Zayed`s wife as her soul sister. She said "Love, Breakups, Zindagi" was a small budget movie. "But, it looks very big." Of the three partners of Born Free Entertainment, Zayed was the force, Sahil was the leader and she was the heart, Dia said. The former beauty queen said she started backing out of her acting assignments to concentrate on production in the last one year. "Production is not a joke. I am not window dressing but an active producer. An actor is just a small, integral part of the film. But a producer is large part of the process and I wanted to experience it," she added. Speaking about her film, Dia said the characters were universal. "There is freshness and identifiably. The educated audience would relate to it. I play a Mumbai-based educated and fiercely independent girl. She is difficult to resist and makes friends easily. I am completely relate to my character," she said. The film will be shot in Chandigarh, Mumbai and Delhi. When asked about her actors, Dia said her priority is whether the person cast and crew is a warm, good natured person. "Fortunately, our actors like Satyadeep, Pallavi Sharda, Miss India Australia 2010 are not only good actors but solid, intelligent people, she said. PTI