Divya Seth
The quiet appearance of Divya Seth in Shahid-Kareena flick Jab We Met as Shahid’s mother made the character truly unforgettable. Better known as the ‘Majhli’ of yesteryears’ first soap opera on Indian television Hum Log, Divya also has many other memorable performances to her caredit, which include popular shows like Daraar, Adhikaar, Abhimaan and Sarkaar. Besides acting, Divya adores pooches…not just pets but all furry angels. Here she shares her deeply imbibed doggy love. Excerpts – On entering Divya’s maternal house in Delhi, where she was with her kid on a short trip, I was greeted by her mother, the versatile actress Sushma Seth, daughter Mihika and the lady herself having a great time with their pets, namely, Pebble – American Cocker Spaniel, and Pepper – English Cocker Spaniel. “Without a doggy…our lives are incomplete and everyday is a special day with them,” shared Divya.
A born pet lover…
As a 10-year-old, Divya always used to pester her mom to adopt a pet…a cat…a rat…a parrot…anything. And one Christmas eve, her dream came true in form of Tippy – a Lhasa Terrier. “Tippy was my best buddy. The day I set my eyes on her, I threw all my toys and dolls out,” Divya remembered fondly. Divya loves all her doggies but still her personal favourite remains Tippy, as she added, “Tippy was mine, her loyalties lay with me and her love was so unconditional.” A glint in her eyes and a shiny smile on her lips was testimony of her immense love as she shares Tippy’s anecdote, “Once during childhood, I and my brother were fighting, Tippy pounced on my brother as she thought I was in need!” Sharing more on Tippy, Divya disclosed, “There was a cat who regularly used to visit our terrace and finish Tippy’s entire milk, Tippy tried to shoo the cat but got scared of her” laughingly added Divya. Divya was 24 years old when Tippy died. “I have all my wonderful childhood memories with her,” she exclaimed. After Tippy, she adopted many pets including a couple of cats and two dogs. Today, she has two doggies in Delhi and three in Pune.
The togetherness…
While I was talking to Divya, Pebble and Pepper kept sniffing and wagging…waiting for their turn to come. Just one call and they both ran towards her…licking and rolling with joy. Bow! That was lovely. She added more about her doggie duo as Pebble made herself comfortable in her lap. “She is so cool and calm…all the time. She is my sweetheart.” Pebble is a big-time veggie as she loves to gorge on variety of vegetables. On asking more about Pebble’s fun antics, Divya burst into laughter and added, “Whenever vegetables or other grocery items are brought home…Pebble simply sniffs for peas, her favourite, and picks out the packet to treat herself. Even when anyone peels off peas in front of her, she jumps here and there to have her share. It’s great to watch.” This winter, Pebble developed fetish for Turnip…she has had enough of it.” While Divya was narrating this antic…Sushma had another interesting tale to share, “Pebble surely has a hungry bone. Whenever food is given to Pebble and Pepper, she quickly eats up from her share and moves to Pepper’s bowl. Moreover, the way she eats is too hilarious, as she puts her hind limbs over Pepper’s bowl to guard it too. She is a big-time foodie.”
The Gen-Y experience…
Like mom and grandmom, Mihika, also shares a special bond with furry angels. “We have three lovely pooch companions – Spike (Pug), Nitro and Diesel (Weimaraners) in Pune.” Rating her favourite among them, she said: “Spike is my favourite as he loves and adores me…and I love him too,” she added. Elaborating more on Mihika and Spike’s relationship, Divya said, “Spike is crazy about Mihika, when he doesn’t find her around, he goes nuts.” His love for Mihika is such that he accompanies Mihika for swimming too. He just sits on poolside admiring her splashing in water. But the moment she goes under water…he starts jumping around. Nothing but only the sight of Mihika can calm him down.
A life-long commitment…
All in all, Divya and her family’s love towards the furry angels is truly unconditional. “Take care of your pet, as you would care for your child…with love and heartfelt passion. They are not trophies or showpieces. Many people enjoy the pup stage and then abandon their pet… that’s terrible. Make sure you are ready for a life-long commitment,” is her message to pet lovers and would be pet parents.