Sabyasachi persuaded me to act in films: Divya Menon

Newbie Divya Menon worked as an assistant designer with Sabyasachi Mukherjee and the actress says it was he who pushed her to start acting.

Divya made her debut with Yash Raj Film's "Detective Byomkesh Bakshy!" in 2015, which was helmed by Dibakar Banerjee.

"He (Sabyasachi) was the person who pushed me for Byomkesh auditions. He said you are perfect for the role. He had met Dibakar who told him he doesn't have a leading lady. He said to me 'go and give the audition.'

"He was really serious but I was apprehensive initially because I am a designer, used to being back stage. He literally pressured me to do it," Divya told PTI.
 

The actress is now ready with her second Bollywood venture, "Mona Darling".

Though she says people started taking her "more seriously" post her debut, the journey to bag her second project was in a way a struggle which involved moments of self doubts too.

"Even though I did 'Byomkesh...,' I didn't feel like I was an actor then. I wasn't doing the film because I wanted to be an actor, or to be famous. I thought it was the first and the last role, because I never thought I had it in me.

"The minute I was introduced to what acting truly was, I felt like an actor. But I thought I didn't deserve to be one because I wasn't talented enough or didn't spend enough years in the craft."

Though "Detective Byomkesh Bakshy!" got critical acclaim, the film was not a big box office success, which made Divya ultimately move back to Kolkata, out of "fear of not being able to make space in Mumbai."

Things, however, changed when she got a call from actor Anshuman Jha, who offered her the script of "Mona Darling" which truly impressed the actress.

As of now, Divya says she has taken a sabbatical from designing and wants to solely focus on her acting career.

"Right now, no designing for me. That's taking a backseat. I love acting, this is why I am here. It took me one and a half tear to realise that I can be an actor too. That you don't need to have these many years, all these are just numbers."

The film is scheduled to release on February 17.