Slim and trim

Actress Divya Dutta is on a high. Not only has she lost oodles of weight, but her latest film Haat: The Weekly Bazaar has also earned her rave reviews. After ten years in Bollywood, this petite actress is getting meaty roles. Divya tells CS all about what's going on in her life:



A glam makeover
I am getting a variety of roles after slimming down. Some people still perceive me as a serious character actress, but when they see me, they are like, "you look so glamorous!" It's a great compliment and it motivates me to look better. Audiences will see me in a new avatar in my upcoming films.

Celebrating success
The audience and critics' response towards Haat... has been heart-warming. It was a woman-centric film where I had full scope to perform. My character was of a woman who's trapped in a loveless marriage. She decides to leave her husband's home and settle down with her lover. She does it but the village panchayat humiliates her by blackening her face and parading her naked in the village. It is a very emotionally touching story.u00a0

Dialect queen
Haha.... It all started with Veer Zaara where I played Shabbo, who spoke Punjabi like it is done in Pakistan. That character had its own identity. Thereafter, I spoke in chaste Hindi in Welcome to Sajjanpur, Haryanvi in Delhi-6 and Rajasthani in Haat: The Weekly Bazaar. I had graduated from the typical Punjabi kudi to the dialect queen. I love learning new dialects and feel that it adds more weight to a role.u00a0

Balancing act
I want to strike a balance between commercial and parallel cinema. Directors know me as an intense performer, and this has helped me grab good roles in parallel cinema. But I can carry off comedy and light-hearted roles as well. That's my advantage.

Hobbies and passions
Music is a great stress-buster. I love cooking and can cook for the entire building. But I don't cook often, say once a month. I can make excellent Chinese, Indian dishes as well as Tandoor items. Reading and travelling are my other passions.u00a0