DIVYA Interview

INTRODUCTION

Divya is numero uno in Kannada cinema. If she continues to impress us the way she did in Polladhavan, she will soon be an actress to reckon with in Kollywood. She’s sexy, sensitive, humble and honest. Behindwoods enjoyed chatting with her one Sunday morning when she spoke about being on the sets with Gautham Menon, Surya and Simran (her new best friend in Kollywood).

All of us were hogging, but Surya was eating broccoli with no salt or oil!

BW: What is Vaaranam Aayiram about?

Divya: It’s the life of one man, from childhood to old man played by Surya, and how we all form a part of his life, how we enter and exit his life. It’s the relationship between this man and society. It’s a very, very interesting life story.

An Indian Forrest Gump?

Where did you hear that?

The director, Gautham Menon, seems to have said something like that.

Well, I guess if he has….then maybe there’s something to it.

“I play Surya’s childhood

sweetheart.”

What is your role specifically in it?
I play Priya in the film, Surya’s childhood sweetheart, and you’ll see my life in the movie from when I’m 14 to 21 years old.

What is it like to work with Surya?

First of all, Surya with that six pack is so hot. And on the sets we were all so impressed with his discipline. For instance, we were at Dehra Dun, having dinner, and all of us were hogging, but Surya was eating broccoli with no salt or oil!

Can you talk a little more about your time on the sets of Vaaranam Aayiram ?

Sure. We all had a blast. Simran and I were up to pranks all the time. I really found a friend in her. My first friend in the industry. The funny thing is, we’ve been shooting for a year, but Simran and I met only in the last three months, and became fast friends. On the sets everyone used to joke: ‘Good thing these two didn’t meet up earlier!” Gautham Menon likes silence on the sets but then even he would crack up. And the ADs (assistant directors) were all fun to be with. There were some disturbing scenes we had to enact but none of us used glycerine –we just cried.”

What would be different about Vaaranam Aayiram ?

A large part of it is shot in San Francisco. On the famous Berkeley campus, where Surya plays a student. We’ve shot a lot in Danush Kodi. It’s beautiful there. And I also believe this might be the first Tamil film shot at the Indian Military Academy.

Is it safe to guess then that Surya is in the army?

Hmmmm….well, if you feel that’s what it could strongly mean, then maybe it is so!

Your impressions of working with Gautham Menon?
I admire Gautham. He’s very inspiring.

And your time with your co-star, Sameera Reddy?
I never did meet her.

Oh, so you don’t have any scenes together in the movie?
No, we don’t.

“Gautham likes

silence on the sets but

even he would crack up.”




You work now in Kannada and Tamil movies – what is it like to be switching from one industry to the other?
A lot of people ask me that, but it has never been a problem. I enjoy it. There’s no animosity in either place. In fact, I get a lot of love and support from both industries. I’m fluent in Kannada. And because I did my schooling in Ooty, I can read and write Tamil.

Your favourite movies

Taare Zameen Per- I cried buckets. I also admire Heat , Castaway, The Bucket List (I adore Jack Nicholson) and Scarface. Tamil: I like all the Mani Ratnam films.

Actors you’d like to work with

Vijay. He’s so expressive, and such a gorgeous dancer.



“Vijay is so expressive,

and such a gorgeous dancer”

Favourite places and foods

Venice. Rameshwaram is beautiful, I think. And my house, my own home.

Other interests apart from cinema?

I want to teach kindergarten children. Right now I have a break from shooting, so I’ve asked around in a few schools, if I could particularly teach HIV positive children. I want to teach them to paint, and I want to read to them.”