Divya Dutta confesses that being an actor is no easy feat. “This is a kind of profession where every day you dig a well. You have to keep up and keep working hard. It's not like, aaj toh mujhe saare critics ne keh diya ki showstealer ho tum, toh ho gayi meri zindagi set," shares Divya. In an interaction, the Dhaakad actress speaks about the importance of women having the freedom to make choices and applauds the changing portrayal of female characters onscreen.  Excerpts from a chat:

Divya feels that female characters are becoming more relatable and multi-dimensional, resonating with viewers at a deeper level. "The shift in audiences' preferences can be attributed to the rise of OTT platforms. Gone are the days when women were confined to singing songs as the leading ladies or playing characters like the hero's mother,” she says, adding, “Nowadays, there is more depth to our roles, irrespective of the age-bracket. They are far more layered and relatable. You're not just a goody-two-shoes or a vamp. And I guess it's a beautiful time to be writing characters and for actors to perform them."

On getting the kind of roles she wants, Divya says, “I took up smaller roles at one point in my career and made my presence felt. Now, I am happy that roles are now being written for me.”

A strong advocate of feminism, Divya says it’s all about the freedom to make your own choices. "It’s not about saying I am better," she shares, adding, "Aapko haq hona chahiye ki aap apni zindagi ki choices decide kar sake. I was lucky that my mother stood by me. I feel people should get opportunities to live without regrets and I feel fortunate to be able to make my own choices. Even if they turn out to be mistakes; they are mine."

She recalls, "After Veer-Zaara, I was getting similar roles. After Bhaag Milkha Bhaag, I was offered sisterly roles. Things changed with Badlapur, which got me back to being a commercial actress. So, my journey has been a fun ride."

The actress adds, "Earlier, filmmakers would acknowledge my talent but cast someone else in their projects. After I won the National Award for Irada (2017), I started being looked at as an actor with gravitas."

Divya, who completes 30 years in showbiz this year, shares that her first tryst with fame came from Veer-Zaara (2004). The actress shares that she had reservations about playing a supporting role. "When I was approached for this movie, I felt that my dream of wearing chiffon saris and dancing in the Alps would finally come true. However, during the script narration, Aditya and Yash Chopra revealed that I would be portraying Shabbo, a friend of Zaara (played by Preity Zinta). I was a bit sceptical. I thought if I played a friend’s role in a Yash Chopra film, then everyone’s going to offer me a friend’s role only. Adi probably read my face and said, 'You will be remembered for this role'. Also, when I confided in my mother, she told me, 'Do your part so well that people take notice of you, even among the biggest stars'. And that's exactly what happened."