Mumbai calling

After three decades in the film industry, Bengali actor Rituparna Sengupta talks about how she broke her Bollywood jinx

She is trained in Odissi and Manipuri dance, but movies are her passion and profession. Over the past 30 years Rituparna Sengupta has acted in 185 Bengali movies, as well as Odia, English, Malayalam and Kannada films. It is her Mumbai stint — with 33 Hindi films between 1994 and 2015 — that disappoints her. However, the fighter in her kept going, and now she has half-a-dozen plus Hindi films on hand. She is positive about breaking her Bollywood jinx.

Her enthusiasm for working with Tollygunge directors has not waned as she excitedly awaits her new Bengali releases, which include Datta and Amar Lobongolota based on Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay and Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay’s novels respectively, as well as Mayakumari a musical love story. However, it is the Kabir Lal-directed Antardrishti, in Marathi, Tamil and Telugu, besides Bengali (in which she plays a double role) that is making her anxious. “I am playing a blind woman and an actor can never be sure if he or she can pull off a challenging role. Or when they’d get a chance at one again,” she says.

Excerpts from an interview during Rituparna’s recent visit to the Capital for the promotion of her new film.

The director, Ranjan Ghosh, was inspired by the Nirbhaya incident and has sought to present the movie as an apology to all women, who continue to be abused every day. The film makes you wonder about the conflicting powers and perils of women; how people worship forms of Shakti and yet subject women to heinous crimes. Ma Durga and her children are used as a metaphor in the film, in which I play a real-world Durga dealing with challenges in today’s society. 

The story of Mahisasur Mardini happens over one night in a house getting ready for Durga puja and the film is inspired by theatre in terms of lighting, props, the single entry and exit set of characters. Also, it is great to get a nod from an intellectual crowd in theatre circuits, such as India Habitat Centre. . The interaction with theatre association members at Jamia Millia Islamia University was invigorating as students spoke their minds on how we can make a difference with our films and promote communal harmony.

Yes, I am focusing on Mumbai now as there is tremendous scope for actors like me in content-rich films. The kind of roles I have played in Tollywood and the appreciation I have received — I want to showcase my talent pan India. The Bollywood buzz will always remain and I feel people in other parts of the country should know more about me. I am eagerly awaiting Bansuri with Anurag Kashyap in the lead, Good Morning Sunshine with Revathy, Jihad with Rohit Roy, Kal Tighori with Arbaz Khan and Mahesh Manjrekar, Ittar with Deepak Tijori, Tere Aane Se by Purab Kohli and Salt with Chandan Roy Sanyal. All these films got delayed due to the pandemic.

Yes, people are drawn to stories drawn from their lives rather than the feel-good magical moments. Look at the successes on OTT platforms. Concepts and ideas have changed and merged into a different level and audiences are accepting it.