Divya Dutta recalls Shah Rukh Khan's camera advice during a Veer Zaara scene.
The 2004 Yash Chopra film gave Divya her first major commercial recognition.
The actor describes working with Shah Rukh and Zohra Sehgal as unforgettable.
Shah Rukh Khan Birthday: Divya Dutta Recalls How SRK Guided Her On Veer Zaara Sets
As Shah Rukh Khan turns 61, Divya Dutta looks back at Veer Zaara and recalls the thoughtful advice the superstar gave her while filming the 2004 romantic drama
Summary
As Shah Rukh Khan celebrates his 61st birthday, actor Divya Dutta has revisited her experience of working with him on Veer Zaara. In an exclusive interaction with Hindustan Times, Divya recalled how the superstar guided her during a scene and made her feel looked after on the sets of Yash Chopra's 2004 romantic drama. She also described the film as a major turning point in her career.
Divya Dutta calls Veer Zaara a career highlight
For Divya, working with Yash Chopra was a childhood dream. She said, "It was my childhood dream to work with Yash Chopra — I used to day dream about it without knowing how it would ever happen. Being on his set in Veer Zaara was a huge high for me. That was the film that brought me my first major commercial recognition where people knew my name."
She also spoke about sharing screen space with Shah Rukh and veteran actor Zohra Sehgal. "It was also my first film with Shah Rukh, who happens to be my absolute favourite. It was a complete joy working on those sets and learning so much. Plus, I got to share screen space with Zohra Sehgal — she was the epitome of grace, chutzpah, and mischief. Sharing the screen with someone as full of life as her was unforgettable."
Shah Rukh Khan's advice stayed with Divya
Recalling a particular moment from the shoot, Divya said she had been so excited that she was not facing the camera properly during a shot. Shah Rukh, who was rehearsing nearby, came over to offer her some advice. She recalled, "During Veer Zaara, I was so excited just to be there. I remember filming a shot where I wasn't facing the camera properly. Shah Rukh was rehearsing his lines nearby, and he gently came over and whispered, 'This was just a rehearsal; in the actual take, be a little more camera-aware'."
She added, "When I thanked him, he said, 'Yeah, look out for yourself, because I won't be on every set to guide you.' It felt so wonderful that a superstar like Shah Rukh Khan was looking out for me."
Advertisement
About Veer Zaara
Directed by Yash Chopra and written by Aditya Chopra, Veer Zaara released on November 12, 2004. Shah Rukh played Indian Air Force pilot Veer Pratap Singh opposite Preity Zinta's Zaara Hayaat Khan. Divya portrayed Shabbo, Zaara's friend and confidante. The film also featured Rani Mukerji, Manoj Bajpayee, Amitabh Bachchan and Zohra Sehgal.
Published At: