I make my own storyboard: Divya Kumar

“Enough of music videos, it’s time for the real one,” exclaims Divya Khosla Kumar who will soon be directing her first motion picture. She hasn’t finalised the cast as yet because she is still working on finishing the script. “Since I am still working on the script, it’s not apt for me to talk about it. All I can say is that the film is something which will be focusing on the youth who will be able to connect well with the idea,” she says.

Meanwhile, she is working on the music video of the song Let’s go to Mumbai City, with Jermaine Jackson which will feature Mumbai along with its famous elements such as Marine Drive, The Gateway of India, Masjid Bunder, CST station and the slums. But isn’t it clichéd for foreigners to always show slums when it comes to Mumbai or India? “No, the video is not about slums and the intention of it is not to show the dark side of the city unnecessarily. I can’t divulge details but I can assure you that it will not be like something that you have seen in Slumdog Millionaire. I also belong to the city and Iwon’t show it in a bad light. The city has so many characters and I am only trying to show its different facades,” she asserts.

The collaboration happened thanks to the surge of new interest of the global media and audience in Indian music after AR Rahman’s astounding success. And getting Jermaine wasn’t so difficult after that. Is there any other international collaboration on the cards? “Talks are on with a lot of international stars but it’s too early to talk about it,” she says. What about a wish list? “I think 50 Cent is very talented and I love Beyonce. Let’s see,” she quips.

Divya started her career in showbiz with the big budget film Ab Tumhare Hawale Watan Saathiyo which sank without a trace. After her marriage to Bhushan Kumar, life changed very much and now she is happy behind the camera.

Divya admires directors like Sanjay Leela Bhansali and Karan Johar. Does she feel like assisting them before her first film? “I have learnt the technical side to my job myself. Though I adore their work, I won’t be able to follow someone else’s ideas. I make my own storyboard and work on it and it’s fun,” she says, signing off.