Actress Divyansha Kaushik, who made her Tollywood debut alongside Naga Chaitanya with the movie Majili, speaks to The Pioneer’s Shikha Duggal about working in Tollywood, why Hyderabad holds a special place in her heart, and more.
Divyansha Kaushik made her dream debut opposite Naga Chaitanya, and what a debut! Her film Majili became the biggest opener in the star’s career. After appearing in The Wife on OTT, she was seen as the lead opposite Ravi Teja. With so many followers already on social media, the actress is here with us for our special Celeb Talk so that we can know a little bit about her private life too. Her fans will be ecstatic!
“I really loved my windless side as a child, especially when I was so pre-occupied with painting. I never used to talk to too many of my friends; I rather chose to watch television. Then I had a different side to myself too. I was a complete ruckus! Standing on top of tables, intoning like a nightingale. Doing Hindi dance moves! Or even attacking my cousin brothers. But I never broke any rules. Just the kid inside me wanted to do harmless stuff, maybe bunk classes or pull pranks,” shared the Telugu actress.
She grew up in a joint family, and as she grew older, they moved to another part of Delhi. Her whole soul belongs to Delhi! The food culture is very special to her there. There was something about celebrating festivals in Delhi that was really different from other cities. Now that she has stopped bursting crackers, it’s been more than ten years, but the grand feasts go on in Divyansha Kaushik’s beautiful abode.
Did you know Divyansha’s mother is already a part of the entertainment business? Oh yes, her mother, Anju Kaushik, is an established makeup artist! “So my mother has been in the industry for the past thirty years — fashion, films, and television. My entire exposure to showbiz has always been through her. I have seen her travel to some really cool places, like South Africa or Egypt, for work and come back with these souvenirs for us. When I was a five-year-old kid, there was no Nutella in our country before, and my mom bought it for me from Paris. For so many years, I kept on wondering, That’s the best food item I have ever had.”
The Delhite by heart has been a crucial part of Yash Raj Films for a really long time — while her mother was working closely with Rani Mukherjee, there was the little Divyansha in the casting department learning about the casting process. In the middle of it, “I realized my calling is something else. I wanted to lose weight and assumed I was not the fittest girl in the room. By the time I shed so many kilos on my own, I was already signed for a Telugu film, and my introduction was ready to roll in South Indian films. But being a Yash Raj heroine never happened! Yet, I am very happy working in Hyderabad. Hopefully someday Yash Raj Films will sign me.”
She hardly finds any change in her personal life after stardom, but she feels more confident being on the sets of various films now. In fact, whenever she’s coming back to her home in Delhi, you’ll see her doing dishes and making her own bed, and Mrs. Anju ensures that her daughter doesn’t step on any cloud of fame and popularity. Her mother, very politely, puts the former intern in her place. She is not a star in her house! So Delhi gives her a basic life and keeps her sane, and Hyderabad treats her with luxury. That’s the contrast.
Ramarao on Duty fame continued, “I just love doing films; even if it’s a special appearance, I will sign it. The truth is, I wanted to be a journalist! It was my mother who wanted me to pursue acting. I got my portfolio shot, and Takkar was offered to me. South Industry came to me more than I came to it; it was destined. Quite frankly, I am addicted to Tollywood. I don’t want to go back home! I will never have complaints about this film industry, guaranteed.”
“My mother has been in the industry for the past thirty years — fashion, films, and television. My entire exposure to showbiz has always been through her. I have seen her travel to some really cool places, like South Africa or Egypt, for work and come back with these souvenirs for us. When I was a five-year-old kid, there was no Nutella in our country before, and my mom bought it for me from Paris. For so many years, I kept on wondering, That’s the best food item I have ever had”.
