Meet Divya's Jahann

Actress Divya Jagdale and her writer-director husband Shivkumar Subrahmanyam have a new bundle of joy. Divya delivered a baby boy on February 23 — the couple's firstborn. The baby has been named Jahann (meaning the world).

"The name was Divya's choice. We thought of several options, but Jahann sort of stuck on," says Shivkumar.

Divya, who does television, theatre and films, had been missing from the acting circuit in the last few months.

"So now you know, I was on maternity break," laughs Divya, who was last seen on the small screen in K Street Pali Hill (Star Plus) and in Kabhi Haa Kabhi Naa (Zee). On the big screen, she featured in the recent release Mixed Doubles, as well as in Maine Gandhi Ko Nahin Maara, Dil Pe Mat Le Yaar and Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam.

Fruitful break

"It's barely 15 days since Jahann was born. I have been using my maternity break to pen a new drama called End of Season," says Divya, who along with her husband runs The Zero Theatre Company whose productions include Irani Caf and Snapshots from an Album.

Divya plans to open End of Season later in the year. "Right now, Jahann keeps me busy; maybe I will open the play around August." She describes the play as a relationships saga between two feuding sisters and how time heals their wounds. "Besides writing it, I will produce and act in it as well," she says.

Divya turned writer with the play Bansuri, which was directed by Sunil Shanbag. "After acting for over 10 years there was a need to move on. So I ventured towards writing. Maybe, the next step will be direction," she adds.
Parinda writer

Shivkumar wrote the screenplay for Vidhu Vinod Chopra's Parinda and co-wrote Chopra's 1942 A Love Story.

He has adapted his English play Irani Caf for a Bollywood film, titled Cha Cha Cha. The film, directed by him, was shot in Goa two years ago. The cast includes Sushama Reddy, Gulshan Grover, Manav Kaul, Sanjeev Vatsa, Arti Aney besides Divya.

"The project was delayed but now I have just a bit of post-production work left," informs Shivkumar who is looking at a multiplex release. He will also write and direct a production for the forthcoming Children's Play festival, as part of Prithvi Theatre's Summertime Fun schedule.