Age?Twenty-two. And as every actress wants to, Divya has proved she can look and act much younger than her age. Howzzat?She played a 16-year-old child prostitute in Pamela Rook's Train to Pakistan. "I had to play this Lolita - innocent but who knew what her job was. And I knew I had done a good job when everybody's first instinct after seeing the premiere was to pull my cheeks." That flush of excitement hasn't left Divya's face yet. With good reason.Directors have been dropping in with meaty scripts, all of a sudden. She is particularly excited about a Canadian venture - an English film set in India. "I haven't signed for it yet, but it feels really good when such offers come your way," she says.Despite the recent surge of nationalism in Bollywood, Divya is obviously counting her career on the basis of approval coming from abroad. So, does this mean `bye-bye' Bollywood. After all, the industry was hardly chasing her around with offers of roles.No, she insists she was a star before Train.. "I have done quite a few films before and people noticed me too, especially in Agnisakshi. And then I was in Suraksha with Sunil Shetty and in Ram Aur Shyam with Govinda who taught me a lot about acting. I really enjoy these films. I have no inhibitions about doing a dhammal number. The front benchers want their money's worth and they are going to say things like Kya dikhti hai, but that's their way." Bollywood is where the big bucks lie and despite her foray into `good cinema' Divya knows which side her bread is buttered."Money is not that important to me. I have always been acting throughout school and college and this is what I wanted to do. I came to Bombay in 1993 on my own to join the Stardust Academy from Ludhiana. It was tough. The stakes were high but it wasn't a do-or-die situation ever. I wasn't going to hang around for years. If I hadn't made it, I would have left."If it wasn't a desperate situation why was Divya so nervous about being ignored by the media? She even picked up the phone and made a few calls."I did a good job, my performance was praised, so what is wrong with capitalising on it. I deserve it." In any case, it must be daunting for an unknown to be pitted against bigwigs like Smriti Mishra and Nirmal Pandey.Is she trying to place herself in the same bracket as Tabu and Kajol, who besides being popular pin-up girls also win critical acclaim?"Why not? It is possible to have it all. You can do good cinema and be a household name. "So what is this child-woman least likely to say?"I hate you." This pleasantly plump Punjaban is large hearted like her community.And most likely to say?"I am always laughing. So just `giggle, giggle', I think."
