Working in Yash Chopra’s ‘Veer-Zaara’ was a dream come true: Divya Dutta

Dutta, who portrayed Shabbo in the film, said the opportunity to work with Chopra came seven years after she entered the industry

• India Weekly
• 13 November, 2024

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By: India Weekly

ON the 20th anniversary of Veer-Zaara, actor Divya Dutta reminisced about her experience working with the late Yash Chopra, calling him her “most favourite filmmaker.”

Dutta, who portrayed Shabbo in the film, said the opportunity to work with Chopra came seven years after she entered the industry, having initially been introduced through a talent hunt where Chopra served as a judge.

Recalling her early aspirations, Dutta shared, “I used to think ‘Wow, I am starting out with Yash Chopra’. I used to imagine he would say ‘You are so good, I will take you in my next film,’ but no such thing happened.”

She finally worked with Chopra in Veer-Zaara, a film she remembers fondly as a dream realised. “To be on the sets of Yash Chopra was a dream come true. That grandeur, love, and affection… The film’s first shot was my first shot too,” she said.

The 2004 film, re-released in theatres recently, follows the story of Veer Pratap Singh, played by Shah Rukh Khan, and Zaara Hayaat Khan, portrayed by Preity Zinta, two lovers from opposite sides of the India-Pakistan border.

Dutta said that the film’s success strengthened her bond with Chopra, who encouraged her to visit him often. “Even after ‘Veer-Zaara’ released, he used to say, ‘Bacche! Come to the office whenever you feel like’. And I used to go to the office to meet him,” she shared.

Dutta also noted Chopra’s genuine care for people, saying he and Amitabh Bachchan are known for remembering birthdays. “They are always the first ones to wish you,” she said, adding that these gestures make them memorable figures in the industry.

Although she was initially uncertain about taking on Shabbo’s role, Chopra and his son Aditya reassured her of the character’s importance.

“Yash uncle and Aditya told me that ‘We wouldn’t have asked you to do the role if it was not special’,” she recalled. After Veer-Zaara, she turned down similar roles, aiming to avoid being typecast.