In an exclusive throwback interview with Lehren, Divya Dutta delves into her remarkable acting experience, which began with her college days spent performing in plays to winning the Stardust Talent Hunt contest out of 50,000 applicants and carving out a niche for herself in Bollywood. The actress spoke candidly about her time working in Surakshaa with Saif Ali Khan and Suniel Shetty, which helped her initially gain a great deal of fame. Divya revealed some fascinating information about working in cult-classics like Veer Zara and Baghban with megastars Amitabh Bachchan and Shah Rukh Khan. Dutta is also a prominent name in the Punjabi film industry as well. This Lehren Podcast will take you on the artist's flashback film journey.
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00:00And I think the applause that I heard in school,
00:04I think it got stuck somewhere.
00:06I thought I want them all my life.
00:08I want that applause all my life.
00:10You look up to actors like Nargis Dutty,
00:13like Smita Patil.
00:15I remember as a kid I used to say
00:17I want to be like Smita Patil.
00:19I used to have negative scenes with Amit Ji.
00:22And I used to feel bad about scolding him
00:25because he used to give very poor expressions.
00:27He was so beautifully vulnerable.
00:30People say that Divya has done every role.
00:33It should be like that.
00:34I don't want to be in one image.
00:36I want to be like Sanjeev Kumar.
00:37I want to be like people who fitted into every role.
00:47I have been acting ever since I was four.
00:49I was in Punjab and I started doing stage from school.
00:54And I think the applause that I heard in school,
00:58I think it got stuck somewhere.
01:00I thought I want them all my life.
01:02I want that applause all my life.
01:04And I have been acting since college also.
01:08I was the head girl and used to write all the plays
01:11and direct them and also act in them.
01:13Then I represented the whole of India and Japan.
01:16So things were happening like that.
01:18And then there was this talent hunt from Stardust
01:20and I won it out of 50,000 candidates all over India.
01:24And well, that's how I am here.
01:33It was Suraksha with opposite Sunil Shetty.
01:36And it was a multi-starrer.
01:38There was Saif Ali Khan.
01:40There was me and Sunil and Aditya Pancholi.
01:45And I was a little kid that time.
01:47I was totally in awe of all the actors.
01:49But a total commercial flick.
01:52And I remember we were shooting all night
01:55on the Juhu beach and Sunil was...
01:58I was so nervous that I stood all night.
02:01I didn't sit even once.
02:03I was so scared that it was Sunil Shetty
02:05and the macho man and everything.
02:07But after that, I was like kind of cool
02:10and good fun after that.
02:12It's been shooting.
02:13Keep on experimenting like with films,
02:16with televisions and even regional films
02:18like the drama films and all.
02:20Do you think it's like for an actress
02:22or for making a proper identity
02:24that doesn't stop there?
02:26I am a little moody actor.
02:30As in, I do what my heart wants.
02:33And whether it's anywhere,
02:35whether it's advertisements,
02:37whether it's television,
02:38whether it's films,
02:39whether it's theatre,
02:40I would like to do something which is the best.
02:43I have never gone from TV to films
02:46or from films to TV.
02:47It's always gone parallel for me.
02:49So I think I'm one amongst the very few actors
02:52who've taken it parallel
02:53and both have done it
02:55and handled it well and balanced it.
02:57Because I believe that whatever you do,
02:59do it well and people should like it.
03:01You will not see me on every channel on TV.
03:04I like to be exclusive.
03:06And what films I do, I choose.
03:08I have to feel happy about doing a certain film.
03:11How about when you have been awarded for Smita Patil
03:14and Nagesh Dharia,
03:15how was that experience?
03:18What was exciting?
03:20I think you look up to actors like Nargis Dhadji,
03:25like Smita Patil,
03:27and I remember as a kid I used to say
03:29I want to be like Smita Patil.
03:31And then when you end up,
03:33I mean Shabana Azmi, Smita Patil,
03:35and all those actors,
03:36and when you end up getting an award on that name,
03:38I think it's a big high.
03:40It's a big high that people consider you worthy of that.
03:44And I'm glad people love me a lot.
03:47I'm receiving a lot of love
03:49and good roles are coming my way.
03:51And I'm nominated mostly for all my films,
03:54so I feel happy about that.
03:55How did Baghban happen?
03:56How was the experience working with Pichin Saab
03:58and all the old movies that you've done,
04:00even you yourself as a teen?
04:03Baghban, I was called by Ravi Chopraji
04:05and he is a thorough gentleman.
04:08And one amongst my very favorite people.
04:10And doing Baghban was a very beautiful experience,
04:14working with a magical couple like Amitabh Bachchan
04:16and Hema Malini.
04:18And I used to feel very bad.
04:20There were some very negative scenes with Amitji.
04:24And he used to get scolded,
04:26I used to feel very bad about that
04:28because he used to give very pitiful expressions.
04:30He was so beautifully vulnerable
04:32that I felt like I should change my role
04:34but I shouldn't be bad to him.
04:36But overall a beautiful experience doing that film.
04:39Then I worked with Amitji again in Veer Zara,
04:41which is one of my most memorable films.
04:43Veer Zara, you made a mark as a very good supporting actress
04:47with that film.
04:48How was the experience with Veer Zara?
04:50It's one of my sweetest experiences, I would say.
04:52And I think everybody who wants to be an actor
04:54wants to work with Yash Chopra.
04:56And I have been lucky enough to be directed by him.
04:59And Adi had written the film
05:03and I think he's one amongst the best we have to write.
05:07He's one of the most sensitive people who write and direct.
05:11And going there was a different experience.
05:15As an actor, I felt on a high working with the Yash Chopra camp.
05:20And I think people's perception changed after Veer Zara.
05:26And suddenly I was this very successful actress
05:29who was getting roles
05:31which I wanted to do.
05:33So it mattered.
05:35And I won lots of awards.
05:37And I was really loved by people all over.
05:39And I didn't expect that character Shabbo to be so popular.
05:42But it gave me all I wanted.
05:45You did regional films with Punjabi.
05:48New Years and Bazaar Punjabi.
05:50How was the experience with Punjabi Gujarat?
05:53And just recently your film has been won the Oscar.
05:58How was it?
06:00I have done three Punjabi films.
06:02And all three were produced by Gurdas Mahan.
06:05And his wife produced them.
06:07And we had a very young director, Manoj Poonch, who is no more.
06:11He directed all three films.
06:13And for Shaheed-e-Mohabbat, I went for the National Awards.
06:17Then Des Hoya Pardes again went for the National Awards.
06:20Now this third film, Waris Shah, which is Manoj Poonch's last film,
06:24has won the Oscars.
06:26So I think no Punjabi film has won the Oscars.
06:30So it's a big thing.
06:32And we had a small unit.
06:35Juhi, me, Mr. Mahan.
06:37In fact, you will never see Juhi.
06:39Though she is very chirpy, she doesn't make fun of anyone.
06:42She is to herself.
06:44But in this unit, she was actually playing pranks.
06:47We used to make fun of everyone on the set.
06:50Good fun it was.
06:52And it was like a real sweet family we had.
06:54I miss that.
06:56It's very rare to have a good team.
06:59Like you say, we are actually like family.
07:01So that was like family.
07:03If you weren't an actress, what would you do?
07:05If I wasn't an actor, I would have been a psychologist.
07:08Yes, because I was studying psychology.
07:11And I like to observe people.
07:16So I think as an actor, I would do that.
07:19And if I was a psychologist, I would do that too.
07:21Do you take these thoughts to your professional life?
07:24Absolutely.
07:26You have an emotional memory that you store.
07:30And it helps you to do emotional scenes.
07:33And if I had a sad moment in my life, I would remember it.
07:39Many times, I laugh and joke.
07:42And suddenly I have to do an emotional scene.
07:44So then, emotional memory helps you a lot.
07:46And you suddenly change over.
07:48It's a switch on and switch off kind of a thing.
07:50What kind of achievements do you want to achieve in the future?
07:58I think I'm a greedy actor.
08:00And I feel there's a long way to go.
08:02There's so much I want to do in life.
08:04And I want to be as versatile.
08:06And do as many different roles as I can.
08:09People say, Divya has done every role.
08:12This is how it should be.
08:13I don't want to be in one image.
08:15I want to be like Sanjeev Kumar.
08:16I want to be like people who fitted into every role.
08:19So, I want to do that.
08:20As personally, Divya, what are you?
08:23I'm a girl next door. Very simple.
08:25And I like one thing about me.
08:28I haven't changed despite being here for 10 years.
08:31I'm just this woman from Punjab who came.
08:35I'm as simple.
08:36I love people.
08:37My lifestyle hasn't changed.
08:39I still shop outside.
08:41I still go to the beach.
08:42I still do fun with my friends.
08:44But yes, I'm working and I'm working well.
08:47How do you manage your personal life?
08:51I'm not married.
08:56We'll do 5-6 questions of your life now.
09:02Divya, there are so many designers.
09:04Who do you prefer?
09:05Designers or street shopping?
09:08I go in for both.
09:10Depends on what I like.
09:12What do you prefer?
09:14Which designers do you prefer?
09:16I love Manish Malhotra.
09:18I like Neeta Lulla.
09:20I'm working with this woman called Shafali.
09:23And Mandira Shukla.
09:25They're very good.
09:29What are your daily diets?
09:31Daily diet?
09:33Carbohydrates are less.
09:37I drink more water.
09:39I eat less roti.
09:41I eat one roti.
09:43I eat less sweets.
09:45Because I love sweets.
09:47I give it to people from a distance.
09:50What's your style statement?
09:52I think be yourself.
09:54Wear your attitude.
09:59Beauty lies deep within, I guess.
10:02Any message to your audience?
10:05I would just say,
10:07please watch all my films this year.
10:10And give me all the love you've been always giving me.
10:13I think I'm a new actress with every film.
10:17Because you give me all the excitement and all the love.
10:20Hi, this is Divya Dutta. You're watching me on Lehren.
10:22Please keep watching.
10:24Thank you.