‘Mainstream films were my training ground for direction’

In ‘Ei Raat Tomar Amar’, there’s a scene where Joyeeta (Aparna Sen) climbs onto a stool to take down photo albums. Though her body is frail from illness, her spirit is strong. As she steps down, a sense of worry lingers - one that feels deeply personal to this correspondent, whose own mother recently fell from a chair. Her husband, Amar (Anjan Dutt), is always keeping a watch on her, just like the correspondent’s father.

Many believe romance fades with age, but there’s something truly beautiful about growing old together. Wrinkles may appear but love only deepens. Couples who have spent a lifetime together share laughter over old mistakes, reflect on their struggles and hold onto memories of their younger days. The journey of raising children, building a home and facing life’s challenges creates a bond that only strengthens with time. At a time when divorces are on the rise, love in old age feels even more precious. That warmth fills ‘Ei Raat Tomar Amar’, directed by Parambrata Chatterjee. Like a warm cup of tea on a cold night, the film is both comforting and thought-provoking. It asks: Do we ever truly know our partners, even after decades together? Can we fall for someone else yet remain devoted to the person we married?

The film beautifully captures the essence of lasting love - patience, understanding and care. Even in their honest, sometimes unfiltered conversations, Amar and Joyeeta share moments of affection that speak louder than words.

This Valentine’s Day, if you’re looking for a story about love that endures, ‘Ei Raat Tomar Amar’ is worth watching. In a conversation with ‘Millennium Post’, acclaimed director and actress Aparna Sen shares her thoughts on love and aging together and why she agreed to do the film.

In one of your interviews, you mentioned that you don’t like to act anymore. How did Parambrata Chatterjee convince you to do ‘Ei Raat Tomar Amar’?

The film mostly revolves around just Anjan (Dutt) and me, except for a few scenes at the beginning. We had to carry the entire film on our shoulders and it was set to be completed in about 10 days. What really drew me in was my character - she is very ill but has a sweetness to her, unlike me. I can be quite outspoken and blunt. Despite her sickness, she has a strong love for life. The film follows a night of reckoning for an elderly couple on their 50th marriage anniversary. But honestly, the biggest reason was the chance to act alongside Anjan Dutt. I consider him one of the greatest actors in India today.

Kolkata is becoming a city of senior citizens, with many elderly couples left alone as their children move away for work.

As long as both partners are together, it’s easier. I’ve seen many couples, like my sister and her husband, who are aging together in a very companionable way. They are friends first and that makes growing old less difficult. But when one partner passes away or if the relationship is strained, it becomes very lonely. Some couples live together but barely talk, just coexisting like two islands. That is terrible. Also, I don’t believe that love in a marriage can be limited to just the couple. There can be emotional moments when people feel a connection with someone else.

You, Parambrata and Anjan are all directors as well as actors. Did that create any challenges on set?

Not really. Any concerns that Anjan or I had were discussed among the three of us - me, Param and Anjan. When I first read the script, I felt that some aspects had more potential. I shared my suggestions and we worked everything out before filming. So, there were no last-minute issues on set.

You started your career working with legends like Satyajit Ray and Mrinal Sen but later did mainstream films. However, you weren’t quite happy with the mainstream films.

I’m not dismissing those films or undermining their value. They gave me my identity as an actor. They gave me a certain amount of fame and a certain visibility, which helped me even as a director. More than anything, they served as my workshop, where I learned the craft - what to do, what not to do as a director, how to handle a trolley shot, a zoom shot, lighting techniques, production design and art direction. I also learned the patience and attention to detail a director needs. That phase was crucial in my life. I was a single mother raising two daughters. I needed financial stability, so those films became essential. Some I genuinely enjoyed, especially in the beginning, when I was working toward becoming a popular star. But once I achieved that, the repetition became tiresome. The real issue was that I didn’t connect with those films - their vision and storytelling. The performances often felt exaggerated, lacking credibility. It wasn’t the kind of cinema I believed in. That’s not to say mainstream films shouldn’t exist; they are necessary for industry to thrive. But their quality defines the strength of the industry. Earlier, we had filmmakers like Ajay Kar, Tarun Majumdar and Tapan Sinha, who upheld that quality.

What about now?

We still have some very talented directors. Atanu Ghosh is one of the best. Kaushik Ganguly is another strong filmmaker. Pratim D Gupta keeps getting better. Srijit Mukherji, Parambrata and Anjan also make good films. So, talent is there.

Now & Then

Bengali films are now being shot in just 10-15 days. How does that affect quality?

It’s a big challenge, especially since the industry is already struggling with budget constraints. The only way to make a quality film in such a short time is to limit the locations. That’s why I shot ‘Saari Raat’ and ‘Sonata’ in a single place. Parambrata did the same in ‘Ei Raat Tomar Amar’. Even great directors like Ingmar Bergman made chamber pieces with limited locations.

Also, the script is the backbone of any film. But directors today don’t get enough time to refine their scripts. Ideally, after writing, they should take a break, come back with a fresh perspective and fix any flaws. The scripting process should take at least six months to a year to be truly solid.