Way to go, Divya!

Divya Dutta on what it’s like playing Milkha Singh’s sister in the biopic on the legendary sprinter

Divya Dutta

Divya Dutta has had a dream run this year. Beginning with a special role in Special 26 , the versatile actor followed it up with back-to-back films Zilla Ghaziabad and Gippi. Her Lootera hit the screens recently and she is now awaiting the release of Bhaag Milkha Bhaag . “It’s a first for me. I am someone who likes to work at my pace, but last year I shot for these films which have released very close to each other. Now people cannot accuse me of absconding from the screen!” says Divya.

The actor says that even after being in the business for close to 20 years now she goes to the sets like a newcomer. “I believe in the director’s vision and then add my bit to the role,” she says, adding that her role in the upcoming biopic Bhaag Milkha Bhaag is very special because she has lived a part of the life of the living legend. Divya plays the sister of Milkha Singh. “Rakeysh (Omprakash Mehra, director) had shown immense faith in me even during Delhi 6 as I was fresh out of Veer Zaara and was only getting that kind of roles. He gave me the role of Jalebi, the local hottie. Now he has given me yet another challenge. I have four looks in the film from age 16 to 30. And for women that’s a tough challenge. You can’t sprout a beard in one, a moustache in another! I grew my eyebrows for two months before the shoot started! I worked on the character, according to the inputs Milkhaji gave me,” she says.

Divya says that the brother-sister relationship in the film is very important and it hasn’t been explored on screen for a long time. “The last poignant portrayal was in

Hare Rama Hare Krishna, if I remember right. Then there was Aishwarya and Shah Rukh in

Josh . In this film, I didn’t need to use glycerin for my scenes. The situations are moving. Even though we ran barefoot for a refugee scene, I thoroughly enjoyed shooting for the film.” About the recent release

Lootera , Divya says her main motivation was to work with the

Udaan fame director, Vikramaditya Motwane. “I have a good role though the film obviously belongs to Ranveer Singh and Sonakshi Sinha,” she says.

The actor has signed three films, one of them a Hollywood venture. “I’ll make an announcement later this year about it as I am bound by contract.” Her two Indian films will go on floors in August-September.