Bollywood actress Divya Dutta on a roll
With an Indian National Award in the bag and 10 films in the pipeline, the actress says she’s counting her blessings
After more than two decades in the Hindi film industry, actress Divya Dutta feels encouraged to do more after her Indian National Award win. With nearly 10 films in the pipeline, she is counting her blessings and says it’s a very special year for her.
“With all the films that are coming up, the audience will see me in a variety of roles. Each one is very different from [the other],” Dutta said in an interview.
While her performance in her latest release Blackmail has won her a lot of praise, it is her role in the film Irada that has gotten her an Indian National Film Award for Best Supporting Actress.
Dutta is excited about the series of films lined up.
“I am doing Fanne Khan opposite Anil Kapoor, I am playing a part in Manto, there’s Nasik opposite Arjun Rampal, then I am doing a film called Music
Teacher opposite Manav Kaul, one untitled project opposite Arshad Warsi, a multi-starrer film Abhi Toh Party Shuru Hui Hai, Nitin Kakkar-directed Ram
Singh Charlie.
“I will also be seen in a pivotal role in [a] Malala Yousafzai [movie],” the actress said in one breath, promptly adding: “That’s quite a fish tank, isn’t it?”
Dutta is especially excited about the film Manto, a biopic about Urdu writer Saadat Hasan Manto. The Nandita Das directorial has been selected for the Un Certain Regard competition section of the 2018 Cannes Film Festival.
“Nandita is a very good and sensible filmmaker since she is an actress herself. I really liked her working style. I am playing a character in one of Manto’s stories. My character is pretty intense, bold and the story is to an extent disturbing. I cannot name the story but that is a very interesting character I played,” Dutta said.
The actress started her career in 1994 and is known for fine performances in films such as Veer-Zaara, Aaja Nachle, Welcome to Sajjanpur Delhi-6 and Bhaag Milkha
Bhaag. She has also work with celebrated filmmakers such as Yash Chopra, Shyam Benegal and Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra.
So, was becoming an actress a dream of hers?
“Coming from a family of doctors, I never had any formal training in acting. I think I always wanted to be in performing art. In my school and college days, I used to be the best actress whenever I participated in drama and theatre,” she recounted.
“When I started, I used to be a part of multi-starrer films, which was good but I wanted to try something that is more worth my while. I was thinking of how will I tell the world that I am a good actor, that I used to be in my school days. My mother then advised me to take up roles that are meatier and make them my own,” she added.
Asked about how she manages to keep the humane side alive within her, Dutta said: “Well, there is always a vulnerable side to a strong-headed woman, and I am no exception. When I came into the film industry, I was not like the Divya I am today. I was young, innocent and grew up in a very protective atmosphere. But with time, I learnt to become a strong person.”
“So, whether I play any strong or vulnerable character, I am somewhere bringing that in my performance,” she added.
She believes that a strong portrayal of woman in Indian cinema has been a process and not a new practice. “Whether it is Nargis ji, Madhubala, Meena Kumari, we have had many examples of strong women portrayals in our Indian cinema. With time, things have changed the way society did,” she said. “So I think now when you watch a Kahaani, Queen or Ishqiya, those are the portrayal of today’s women, because that is how young Indian women have changed.”