Who is Mia Maelzer? The actress who played Jhumpa in Stolen

Who is Mia Maelzer? The actress who played Jhumpa in Stolen

Mia Maelzer is an Indian actress acclaimed for her powerful performances in both Indian and international cinema. In the 2023 film Stolen, she delivered a standout portrayal of Jhumpa Mahato, a tribal woman whose infant is abducted at a remote railway station, setting off a tense and gripping narrative.

Born in Kolkata, Mia hails from a culturally rich Bengali-Nepali family. She was introduced to storytelling and the arts by her grandmother, who had a distant connection to filmmaker Satyajit Ray’s family.

Mia pursued her education at St. Xavier’s School in Panihati, Kolkata, and earned a degree in Communicative English from Kolkata University. Her formal acting training includes a diploma from the National School of Drama (NSD), Delhi, and mentorship under renowned figures such as David Lee Strasberg (New York), Ariane Mnouchkine (Paris), G. Venugopalan (India), and Rita Ganguly (India).

Mia's film career began in 2001 with small roles, but she gained significant recognition with her lead role in the short film The Field (2018), directed by Sandhya Suri.

The film won the Best International Short Film Award at the Toronto International Film Festival and was nominated for a BAFTA in 2019. It is now part of The Criterion Collection.

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In Stolen, Mia's character, Jhumpa, embarks on a desperate search for her missing child, drawing in two brothers from different social strata. Her performance has been praised for its depth and authenticity, capturing the complexities of a marginalized woman caught in a whirlwind of societal issues. The film has been showcased at prestigious festivals, including Venice, Zurich, and London, earning critical acclaim for its storytelling and performances.

Beyond acting, Mia is also a director and acting coach, running her own performing arts company where she creates plays and teaches acting. She continues to be a significant figure in the Indian film industry, known for her dedication to the craft and her commitment to bringing meaningful stories to the screen.