‘Bengal’s rooted stories can turn into larger-than-life films’

They had the hardest time getting their debut film ‘Ichhe’ released, as it stayed shelved for years. But when it finally hit the screens, the Bengali audience was struck by its story. Since 2011, director duo Nandita Roy and Shiboprosad Mukhopadhyay have consistently put their attention on meaningful content and the Bengali audience heartily welcomed films like ‘Alik Sukh’, ‘Bela Seshe’, ‘Praktan’, ‘Haami’ and ‘Konttho’. Over the years, they’ve become the most popular filmmaker duo in Bengal. With ‘Bohurupi’ releasing during Puja, they are once again relying on their core strength - stories deeply rooted in Bengal. The songs have already become popular. ‘Millennium Post’ chats with the hit director duo about the evolving tastes of Bengali audiences, box office trends and more.

You didn’t have a Durga Puja release until ‘Raktabeej’ last year and now this year you have ‘Bohurupi’. Will Puja releases become an annual affair for you?

Shiboprosad: We’ve had summer releases with films like ‘Bela Seshe’, ‘Praktan’ and ‘Haami’, all of which have been blockbusters. ‘Raktabeej’ was a Puja-centric story, so we couldn’t have released it at any other time of the year. We enjoyed the release experience, and the audience loved it too. That’s when we thought, ‘Why not create another big entertainer for the Puja season?’ It also helps create a schedule for us, like how we released ‘Mukherjee Dar Bou’ and ‘Brahma Janen Gopon Kommoti’ around International Women’s Day and our major releases were in the summer. If we continue with Puja releases, audience expectations will grow around that time.

After ‘Raktabeej’, ‘Bohurupi’ is also a thriller. But over the years, you’ve become known for family-oriented films with socially relevant themes. Now that you’re exploring thrillers, do you think other filmmakers are beginning to shift back to making films similar to yours?

Shiboprosad: When I entered the industry, Bengali cinema mostly did remakes. We felt that we needed to bring something original to the table. We proved that both remakes and original, content-driven films could work. Films like ‘Bela Seshe’, ‘Praktan’, ‘Posto’, ‘Haami’ and ‘Kanttho’ showed that content-driven films could succeed at the box office. Eventually, we heard that other production houses were telling directors to make films like those from ‘Windows’, our production house. But we’ve never followed a set formula. We always focus on the subject. In ‘Bohurupi’, for instance, the character Bickram (played by me) is angry at the system because he lost his job, which many people can relate to. But ‘Bohurupi’ is also our biggest film in terms of scale and budget. Larger-than-life films don’t have to be like ‘KGF’ or ‘Baahubali’. We can make great, larger-than-life films here in Bengal, rooted in our own experiences.

‘Bohurupi’ is based on a real story, isn’t it?

Shiboprosad: Yes, while working on ‘Muktodhara’, we were contacted by a real bank dacoit and for the past 12 years, he has been urging us to tell his story on the big screen.

Nandita: He says he did something significant that people need to know about. He calls us four times a day, asking when his story will be told. Both the police inspector and the bank robber in the film are real people. Now, the robber works as a clerk in court.

On Shiboprosad’s 50th birthday, you gave him two strong characters in ‘Bohurupi’ and ‘Amar Boss’. Did he ever ask for a role in films before this?

Nandita: Never. He never asked for any role. In fact, when I’m writing a story, he always suggests other actors for roles. But this time, while writing ‘Bohurupi’ and ‘Amar Boss’, I couldn’t imagine anyone else playing them but Shibu. And it just so happened that it coincided with his 50th birthday.

The RG Kar Hospital incident shook the state. Despite this, Hindi films like ‘Stree 2’ and ‘Tumbbad’ have done exceptionally well at the box office in Bengal. What’s your take on how the audience is responding to Bengali films?

Shiboprosad: The Bengali audience will respond if we give them the right kind of content. We aren’t offering the kind of content that families can watch together. We need to stop playing it safe and experiment more. Only when an industry makes a profit can it afford to produce films like ‘Laapataa Ladies’. We need movies like ‘Stree 2’, ‘Singham Again’ and ‘Housefull 5’ to keep the industry going. When was the last time Bengali churned out a good comedy film?

Koushani Mukherjee’s casting in ‘Bohurupi’ seems interesting.

Nandita: I didn’t know much about Koushani at first. I hadn’t seen her work or even heard of her. But Shibu suggested I meet her. The moment I met her, I knew she was perfect for Jhimli.

Bengali actresses are raising their voices against exploitation post Hema Committee Report.

Shiboprosad: It’s all about trust and respect. You need to build that with an actor or actress and it’s crucial for bringing out their best performance. The problem is, in today’s fast-paced world, we aren’t giving enough time and space to develop that trust.

Nandita: Bonding and understanding your co-actors are essential, especially when it comes to intimate scenes. Making your co-actor comfortable takes time and that’s something we should prioritise.

Number Game

Some people in the industry - actors, directors, producers - have said that Bengali audiences are hypocritical, watching Bollywood films but not supporting content in their own language.

Shiboprosad: I completely disagree. No other audience is as receptive as the Bengali audience. We’re living proof of their appreciation. I remember Kaushik Ganguly once said he would never have made a film like ‘Haami’, but he encouraged us to do it. And in this city, his film ‘Nagarkirtan’ ran to packed houses. The same audience made ‘Brahma Janen Gopon Kommoti’, ‘Chander Pahar’, ‘Bela Seshe’ and ‘Ardhangini’ blockbusters. We just need to offer them the right kind of content and music. In the past year, ‘Ardhangini’ has been the biggest hit.

At one point during Puja, there were 11 Bengali films released, but this year there are only three. Does that mean there’s less competition for Bengali cinema?

Shiboprosad: I don’t think it’s going to be easy for any Bengali film this Puja. Just three days after, two major Bollywood films - Alia Bhatt’s ‘Jigra’ and Rajkummar Rao’s ‘Vicky Vidya Ka Woh Wala Video’ - are releasing. Then there’s ‘Joker’ and ‘Devara’ continuing their runs. If Bengali films don’t do well in the first three days, the show timings will be cut once the big films arrive. Directors and producers who avoided releasing their films during Puja probably knew they wouldn’t get favourable show timings.