Malayalam actress-dancer Divya Unni, who was a name to reckon with during the late 1990s, has started a new innings in her life. She got married for a second time with Mumbai-based Keralite Arun Kumar. The wedding was held at the Sree Guruvayoorappan temple in Houston on Sunday.
It was almost two years ago she ended her 14-year-old marriage with Dr Sudhir Shekhara and moved back to Kochi along with her children Arjun and Meenakshi. She slowly found the rhythm back in life and resumed her dance performances.
Here is a recap of what Divya said in an earlier interview with the Vanitha:
"Everybody prays for only good things to happen in our lives. But it's only when there are bouts of sadness that life is complete... Is there anyone who doesn't have both good and bad times?" Divya, you do not come across as such a strong-willed person.
I have been a sensitive person all my life. My eyes well up at the smallest things. I even used to cry when my friends had to go elsewhere. Then I had to face the biggest split of them all, divorce from the person I felt would be there with me for the rest of my life. Everybody gets depressed at this juncture. But I felt that if I was sad and depressed, it would affect a lot of people around me. It is this thought that gave me the strength to withstand that split.
I kept telling myself, 'No I will not be weak'. Everybody has plenty of things they'd wish to forget. Isn't it better to just let go off them? Anyway, let's talk about the children, dance or my travels.
My life is entirely for my children now. I have to schedule everything around their needs. Earlier, I used to come back home to Kerala only once a year. Now I'm happy that I will be doing that a lot more. I have been living in America for 12 years now. I am committed to a lot of things here. Kids who came to me at 5 or 6 years of age to learn dance, are now getting married. However, my children don't believe me when I tell them this. Being a teacher and a mother at the same time itself is tough!
What of the dance classes you take for Indian students in America?
When I started my first dance school in the US, a lot of students joined. Due to my popularity as an actress, many people came looking forward to an exposure on those lines also. It is extremely difficult to get such people interested in Bharatanatyam. I experimented a lot to fix this issue. I told them stories and mythological tales. I turned Bible stories into Bharatanatyam. Even that ran into trouble. They have very mild attachment to a lot of things. Once, I was acting out a heart-broken Radha's lament to Krishna to come to her side immediately. At that point, one child had a doubt, 'If Radha realized that Krishna no longer wants her, then why is she crying over him? Why can't she just find someone else?' My heart skipped a couple of beats...
Is it time to redraw a career plan?
I have never said that I won't act again after marriage. I did act in a serial called Shangupushpam after the wedding. I also had a guest role in the film 'Musafir'. But considering everything I have been doing, I would have to put off a few things if I decide to take up anything new. If I have to make space in my schedule, then the role has to be worth it. But if everything works out, then I definitely plan to get back to acting. I still yearn to act in a film like Kamaladalam. If I get a good role then I will definitely come back to acting in cinemas.
Read more: Entertainment | Won't compromise on my opportunities: Kangana