Just days after the Durga Puja and the roaring success of Raktabeej 2, actor Abir Chatterjee talks to Onyo Samay Prime, expressing his burning wish for “a good comedy next.”
Onyo Samay Prime: So many successes in such a short time. Where exactly is the magic?
Abir: Filmmaking is a collaborative art form. The magic is created when it becomes mutual. I first got Shibuda (Shiboprosad Mukherjee) and Nanditadi (Ray) as producers. I have seen very few people work with such planning as they do. They give an actor the necessary comfort zone. Starting from 'Fatafati' and then three more works. The time in between passed in the blink of an eye. I tell Nanditadi that she is the head teacher of our team. And Shibuda is excited all the time.
Onyo Samay Prime: Two different opinions have emerged regarding the last scene of 'Raktabeej 2'. What message would you give to the audience about whether the character Pankaj Singh will return again?
Abir: This is the real twist. I cannot reveal everything right now. Because many people may not have seen the film yet. But this question has come to me as well. I don't know for certain either. But apprehension has certainly been created. In the last scene, Pankaj Singh is seen in that way. The rest will be revealed gradually.
Onyo Samay Prime: Four films with this production house. Three films have been completed with the director duo. Which one is the most special?
Abir: All of them are my films, so all of them are special. But I would put the first part of 'Raktabeej' slightly ahead. At that time, I had to create a new character graph. But in this context, I want to say one more thing – many people had raised questions about my work in 'Fatafati'. Their argument was, why did I do this film? The love I received after the film's release proved that I was not wrong.
Onyo Samay Prime: The lack of new faces emerging has been repeatedly mentioned for several years. What would you say about this?
Abir: It's not that new actors and actresses are not emerging. Surviving is the real issue. Not just actors and actresses, the emergence of new storytellers is also very necessary. Cinema has a magic – there is no specific grammar for when something will last. I would only say we have to keep trying. I am neither optimistic nor pessimistic.
Onyo Samay Prime: Is the crowd or competition we are seeing nowadays for film releases during special occasions like Durga Puja or Christmas somehow ruining a film's future?
Abir: Regarding this, I think we ourselves are perhaps failing somewhere. Because people are watching films throughout the year – that's not happening anymore. That's why the tendency to release films during festivals is increasing. Producers would naturally want the film's business to do well. If they don't get released during special occasions, audiences are not becoming theatregoers either. We have responsibilities in this matter, but audiences also cannot avoid their responsibilities. Many people might tell me after hearing this – why should they go to watch my film? The issue is not my film, the issue is Bengali cinema. However, regarding this competition that has come up, I cannot help but say one thing – much of this is manufactured. I am naming specifically, Dhrubo Bandyopadhyay, the director of 'Raghu Dakait'. Technically speaking, he is my opponent at this moment. Actually, it's nothing like that, because he is the director of my next film. Actually, none of us are enemies of each other. We can be healthy competitors. There might be mudslinging regarding that competition. Perhaps many people want this discussion. Personally, I don't like this aspect.
Onyo Samay Prime: Shiboprosad Mukherjee and Nandita Ray have made various types of films. You yourself have acted in many different types of characters. Would you like to make any special character request to them?
Abir: Earlier, I had informed Shibuda and Nanditadi about making another family film. However, I would be very happy if it's a comedy film. Because very little work is done on this subject. This request remains mine.
Director Shiboprosad Mukherjee says about this duo's successful journey, "Working with a talented actor like Abir Chattopadhyay is a wonderful experience."
