Mar 14, 2026 5:10pm IST
Divya Dutta On Being Stuck With The ‘Supporting Actor’ Tag: ‘I’m Not Here To Support Anyone, I Support Myself’ (EXCLUSIVE)
Divya Dutta has built one of the most diverse filmographies in Indian cinema, often choosing roles that defied traditional definitions of a “lead” or “supporting” actor.
Over the years, she has played everything from emotionally layered characters to powerful antagonists. As she gears up for the release of her upcoming film "Chiraiya," Dutta spoke to Variety India about her journey, the labels attached to actors and why she never allowed the industry to define the value of her roles.
She finds the idea that actors should be boxed into certain categories, limiting. She believes the conversation around character-driven roles has evolved over the years, but not for women.
“I am an actor and I would like to be called so. A few years back, it (categorization) was a slightly strange concept. Now it's a given. [At times] it's like, 'Okay, I want to do a character-driven role. I'm okay romancing the hero, but I also want to do more than just be a dumb character.”
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She also challenges the long-standing perception that roles not centered on romance or conventional hero narratives automatically become “supporting” parts.
“Just because I wasn't romancing the hero, didn't [automatically] mean that I was 'supporting' somebody. I'm not here to support anyone. I support myself. I would like to play an antagonist, I would like to do some comedy, I would like to be the main lead in a film. I would like to do a smaller role but the most significant. If you see my filmography, my roles have been the best roles in the film and the most pivotal to the story.”
Looking back at her early years in the industry, Dutta recalls how not having a fixed image/tag, actually worked in her favor. While many actors try to cultivate a specific screen persona, she embraced the uncertainty.
“A few years back, it was a tough call. People didn't know where I belonge. I loved that feeling because I didn't want an image. I want to do everything. I want it all. aWhy should I be limited to playing a certain kind of roles. I love acting and I'm supremely, crazily, madly, passionate about it and I would like to break my own limits.”
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