At the age of 47, actor Divya Dutta is content with the direction her career has taken. From her film Sharmaji Ki Beti doing the rounds of festivals to shooting a project with actor Manoj Bajpayee in Lucknow, Dutta has had a busy year.
As she waits for the release of her upcoming film, Chhava, the actor tells us, “I am very grateful. I am doing so many titular roles — it feels nice. There’s a gamut of things and I am rather happy.”
However, this wasn’t without turning down her fair share of roles. “I take up roles which make me nervous [and say no to] those that aren’t exciting at this stage of my life” Dutta says, adding, “During the first narration of a story, you get a gut feeling. It’s important that I enjoy the journey of shooting a project with the people I work with. If something bothers me, I refuse. I have said quite a few ‘nos’ in the past, but it has been worth it.”
The actor credits this mindset to a piece of advice that producer Aditya Chopra gave her several years ago. “I had signed on to a lot of films, but he [Chopra] told me, ‘Drop half of them’. He said, ‘You should leave behind a legacy and not just do anything’. Now, the audience tells me, ‘When you are in something, we know it will be good’.”
{{/usCountry}}The actor credits this mindset to a piece of advice that producer Aditya Chopra gave her several years ago. “I had signed on to a lot of films, but he [Chopra] told me, ‘Drop half of them’. He said, ‘You should leave behind a legacy and not just do anything’. Now, the audience tells me, ‘When you are in something, we know it will be good’.”
{{/usCountry}}Despite this, does she ever feel like something might be missing? “Kuch hota, toh I would have said a companion (is missing). Par woh jab aana hota hai toh aa jaata hai,” she ends.