The Importance of Being Yourself

A trove of talent, Divya Dutta is a noted actor and author of two books- The Stars in My Sky: Those Who Brightened My Film Journey and Main Aur Maa. She has been awarded with the National Film Award for Best Supporting Actress. With her debut in 1994, Divya Dutta has marked place with her unconventional roles in films like Shaheed-e-Mohabbat Boota Singh, Veer-Zaara, Bhaag Milkha Bhaag, etc. Not just Hindi films, she has also acted in many regional films and international films. In this heart-to-heart conversation with Smita Prakash, Divya Dutta talks about challenges faced in her early days of acting career. She recalls the hardships of living in the conflict zone during the 1980s, when the Punjab separatist movement was raging. She also mentions how Amitabh Bachchan and Irrfan Khan taught and helped her as a newcomer.