Dia Mirza Defends Son's Plastic Stance

Actress Dia Mirza has addressed the online controversy surrounding an incident where her five-year-old son, Avyaan Azaad Rekhi, interacted with a coconut water delivery worker. Mirza initially shared the story as an example of her son's environmental awareness, but it was widely misinterpreted online as a display of privilege and entitlement.

In a recent interview, Mirza clarified that her son's remark was simply that their home does not use or propagate plastic, and he was pointing out the plastic packaging. She stated the conversation online took a different direction, focusing on an elitist and disrespectful portrayal, which was neither the intention nor the reality. Those who know her are aware of her respectful treatment of people, and she did not feel the need to defend that aspect.

The incident, recalled by Mirza on a podcast, involved her son telling the vendor that plastic is not allowed in their home and asking him to remove the plastic packaging. While Soha Ali Khan praised the child's conviction, social media users criticized Mirza for raising her son in a privileged environment and for placing responsibility on the vendor.

Mirza emphasized that the child recognized the plastic and had the awareness to ask for it to be taken back, stressing there was no disrespect involved. She also noted that concerns about the vendor's livelihood in the heat were misplaced, as the incident was not during peak summer and the focus was on the optics created around the story.