Koel and Parambrata with Srijit. Pictures by Anindya Shankar Ray
His 22shey Srabon is going steady at the box office, but Srijit Mukherji is ready to start shooting his next: a dark comedy. t2 decodes the wry humour behind this untitled “romantic satire” starring Koel Mallick, Parambrata Chattopadhyay, Roopa Ganguly and Dipankar De…
22shey Srabon is still showing and you’re already on to your next. What was the hurry?
The word is restless. I could have taken a break and enjoyed the success but I feel restless if I don’t tell stories, write new scripts and go into the studio floor to shoot. This is just that insatiable urge to make films as and when stories come to me.
So, what story are you telling this time?
It’s the story of a boy called Ananda and a girl called Meghna. Ananda runs a suicide training workshop where he has employed professors to take classes for people who want to commit suicide. He feels most suicides turn out to be just attempts because people lack the technical know-how on how to go about it or what to use…. So his workshop trains people to commit suicide successfully. Meghna is one of the trainees who lands up there because she doesn’t have any motivation left to live. It’s primarily their story.
Have you ever come across something like that in real life or is it completely fictitious?
The idea is fictitious but I have come across websites that describe how one can commit suicide. That triggered an idea that was gnawing at the back of my head. I was reading up a lot on euthanasia, suicide, mercy killing and I’ve wanted to do a satire for a very long time too. Most films, like The Sea Inside or our very own Guzaarish, are a very dark treatment of the subject. I wondered if we could turn the subject into something more optimistic. That idea combined with the concept of a suicide manual that I came across on a website found manifestation in the script, which I started writing after22shey....
So you’re jumping genres again?
Yes. After a drama and a dark film, I wanted to do a story that was in a lighter vein. But just like 22shey Srabon wasn’t a pure thriller, this is not pure rom com. There is a romantic angle but I’d call it a romantic satire because it has a lot of dark humour in it.
Tell us about your cast…
Koel Mallick plays Meghna and Parambrata Chattopadhyay is Ananda. Roopa Ganguly plays Koel’s stepmom and Dipankar De Koel’s father. Roopadi is such a veteran actor, while Dipankarda suited this role of a doctor with a sense of humour and charming personality. Both Dipankar De and Roopa Ganguly have been around for such a long time that for a relative newcomer like me, it would be a great learning experience to work with them. There will be a lot of cameos played by famous personalities but I can’t divulge the names!
What made you opt for the unlikely pair of Koel and Parambrata?
I would like to explore actors and actresses who have been working in this industry for a while and Koel’s been around for a long time. She is the face of mainstream Bangla films so I always had this desire to work with her. With Param I share a wavelength. I wanted him in Autograph, which didn’t work out, but I was euphoric about his performance in 22shey Srabon. I thought Koel and Parambrata would make an unconventional and fresh pair. Unpredictable too.
But you’ve left out your lucky charm, Prosenjit…
Well, I haven’t really left him out. Bumbada (Prosenjit) will make a guest appearance in the film but after Autograph, Bumbada has become more than an actor for me. He has guided me through very tough times, so even if he’s not there in my film as the leading man, he’s always there for advice.
When and where do you hit the floors?
After November 23. It’s going to be shot entirely in and around 033 — my city — Calcutta.
Since Autograph and 22shey Srabon did very good business, how come you didn’t think of mounting your third on a bigger budget?
This film is once again being produced by Shree Venkatesh Films but the budget never entered my creative domain when I was writing the story. This film is probably going to be my most emotional script.
Music has played an important role in both your films. How about this film?
It’s being scored by Anupam Roy once again. I’ve already shortlisted a few songs from his songbook and recording will start soon. The songs are situational and for the first time, I’m going to use a lip-sync song.
What about your technical team?
The core team remains the same. Soumik Halder is doing the camera, Bodhaditya Bandopadhyay will edit and Sohag Sen is conducting the acting workshops. Neha Panda will do the styling and Ananda Adhya the art direction.
A T2 CHAT WITH FIRST-TIME PAIR PARAMBRATA AND KOEL...
Describe your role…
Koel: I play Meghna, who’s street-smart, intelligent and urban but has suddenly lost all reason to smile or even live. She decides to commit suicide, for a variety of reasons. It’s not like she’s always been like this. Meghna used to be a lot like me — happy, fun-loving, giggly. She morphs into someone who’s mostly depressed and never smiles, yet so many things happen that will prompt the audience to laugh their lungs out.
Parambrata: I play Ananda, who runs a society and has appointed a lot of professors to conduct crash courses on the various means and modes of committing suicide. The character is a little older than me. He’s a little eccentric, loaded with ancestral money and delves into whatever strikes his whim.
What hooked you to the script?
Koel: I loved Srijit’s Autograph and even wanted to watch it a few more times! I liked 22shey Srabon a lot too, and felt that he’s a filmmaker who actually understands the pulse of the audience. He’s proved himself as a director and this script was amazing, so I was naturally very keen.
Parambrata: Normally Srijit makes offers one can’t refuse, and not because he’s a long-time friend. Ananda is a role for which an actor like me would wait. Koel: I’ve never done something like this before and I’ve not been a part of a comedy as such. I’ve been in films that have had comic portions but not a full-fledged one.
How different is ‘different’ for you?
Koel: I’ve always been game for challenging my acting abilities and that’s why I’ve done a Hitlist or a Jackpot. I was offered 22shey Srabon [Raima’s role] but I had refused because I had reservations about certain scenes that I wouldn’t be comfortable doing. I think this one is a kind of film that Bengali audiences haven’t got to watch for many years and Meghna’s character is just too nice.
Parambrata: When I approached Abhijit Pakrashi (his character in 22shey Srabon) I didn’t think it was very different. It was only while doing it I realised that the way the character was turning out was novel. For this film, right from now I’ve got to say that my role is indeed aalada, very different from anything I’ve done.
Koel: Also, this is the first time that I’m doing workshops for a film. I want to be completely Meghna by the time I reach the set!
Are you excited about working with each other for the first time?
Koel: I’m really looking forward to it. We’re both very different people in real life and we do completely different kinds of films, so I think it’ll be fun. It’ll be all about a new chemistry!
Parambrata: Aami toh awestruck! She’s a superstar and the female face of Bengali mainstream cinema. We were a part of a film called Shubhodrishti six years ago but not opposite each other.
Koel: He was my deor (brother-in-law) in that film! I’ve seen some of his other works like 033 and I recently watched 22shey Srabon, where he was so, so good.
Parambrata: I really liked her in Saat Pake Bandha.
Which are your favourite romantic comedies of all time?
Parambrata: Roman Holiday, Love Actually and 500 Days of Summer.
Koel: Roman Holiday for me too; also Music and Lyrics and Shaarey Chuattor.
And your favourite romantic pair?
Koel: Definitely Uttam-Suchitra.
Parambrata: Yes, Uttam-Suchitra. They are the ultimate romantic pair who mastered romance as well as comedy.
