At the Jaipur Literature Festival (JLF), Mia Maelzer, the actress known for her role in "Stolen," shared insights on the evolving landscape of women's representation in film. Maelzer, an NSD graduate with experience as a casting director and acting coach, has built a career focused on depth and substance.
In "Stolen," a highway thriller centered around a missing child case, Maelzer portrays Jhumpa, a migrant worker grappling with immense loss. Maelzer emphasizes that the character's strength lies in her refusal to be defined solely by her suffering. She sought to embody Jhumpa's agency, highlighting the importance of granting such agency to women from marginalized backgrounds who are often portrayed as mere victims. She wasn't interested in portraying a woman who is just poor and helpless.
Maelzer believes films are increasingly offering women more significant roles and agency. She credits her diverse background, growing up exposed to both urban and rural influences, for shaping her perspective and ability to portray complex characters like Jhumpa. She grew up watching world cinema and participating in national sports camps as an athlete. Her mother made sure she learned Indian classical dance, ballet, and folk theatre, music and dance.
When discussing her career, Maelzer doesn't believe in the term “parallel cinema”. She emphasizes the importance of rigorous preparation and technical precision in her work, drawing from her theater training at the National School of Drama. For "Stolen," she engaged in extensive discussions and visited places where women like Jhumpa could be found, to fully understand and embody the character.
Looking ahead, Maelzer has several projects in the pipeline, including "Awaarapan 2", "Gunmaster," and the Telugu film "G2". She expresses interest in playing a psychopath but prefers characters with some moral redemption. She was offered to play Charles Sobhraj, but she said no because there was no redemption. She is also involved in a film based on climate impact and a short film based out of Darbhanga district of Bihar, where I speak Maithili language and the story is based on a child's sense of belonging and identity.
Maelzer's insights at JLF shed light on the evolving role of women in Indian cinema and her commitment to portraying characters with depth, agency, and resilience.
