Divya Dutta has quite a few stories about shooting Veer-Zaara, the iconic romantic drama that completes 15 years today
Shreya Mukherjee (HINDUSTAN TIMES; November 12, 2019)

For Divya Dutta, Veer-Zaara (2004) was a film of many firsts. Her “introduction to the world of commercial cinema” was her first collaboration with the celebrated filmmaker Yash Chopra. With the film, which completes 15 years today, she also fulfilled her dream of working with the “charming Shah Rukh Khan”. But surprisingly, Divya wasn’t too keen on doing the film.

“I was excited when I got the offer but when I came to know I would be playing the role of a friend, my face had fallen. Yash ji noticed my expression and explained how this is an unconventional role. I could see the belief in his eyes. He told me that I would never regret playing this part. After the film released, I understood what he meant,” says the 42-year-old.

Divya recalls how after the film released she was flooded with offers. “People started recognising me. Even today, on every anniversary [of the film], I get fan mails and messages. I wish Yashi ji was with us today,” she says.

Every time the Fanney Khan (2018) star thinks about the fun she had while shooting the film, it instantly brings a smile to her face. “Preity (G Zinta’s), Zohra ji (Sehgal) and I would cycle around and have kulfi… Also, I’ve been a fan of SRK so I would look forward to meeting him. Once we’re getting ready for the shot, SRK asked me about my dialogues and I told him. He liked the part where I say ‘main challiyan’ which means I’m taking your leave and he liked it and used it in one of his scenes,” she says.

Interestingly, because of all the fun, a part of the set would come off quite a few times, thanks to Divya herself. The actor breaks into a laugh as she recounts an incident. “A mud wall was built on the set and I was sitting in front of it on a charpoy. Every time I would get up, the charpoy would shake and hit the wall damaging a part of it. Yash ji told me to be careful, but this time the wall broke. SRK was noticing me from a distance and couldn’t stop laughing and, I, too, couldn’t. Yash ji had to send us for a break.”

Divya shares that the period saga will always remain closest to her heart as it gave her the opportunity to work with actors Hema Malini, Amitabh Bachchan, Manoj Bajpayee, Kirron Kher and Boman Irani. “It’s always amazing to work with people from whom you learn a lot. Also, I got the opportunity to dance and be choreographed by Saroj Khan,” Divya says.