India, Oct. 5 -- Twenty-five years after making her debut, Dia Mirza Rekhi finds herself in a place where stories with a soul matter more than ever. Having moved seamlessly between mainstream cinema, production and socially conscious content, she now asks herself a simple question before taking on a project: "Why is this story being told, and what impact is it going to have?" For Dia, who shot exclusively for HT City Showstoppers, purpose comes first. "Those answers matter to me more than ever. And then, of course, it extends itself to: Why does the character matter, and what can this character contribute?"

The success of her latest show, Operation Safed Sagar, a military war drama, has only reaffirmed that instinct. She is delighted by ...