‘In Bhaggyolokkhi, I saw a new side of Mainak Bhaumik’

In an industry that is quick to typecast actors, Ritwick Chakraborty stands out as a rare exception. His receding hairline hasn’t stopped him from delivering remarkable performances. Whether portraying a thief in ‘Bhootpori’, Madhu; a part-time flautist in a kirtan group, who falls for a woman trapped in a man’s body in ‘Nagarkirtan’; a foley artist in ‘Shabdo’; a stalker in ‘Bheetu’ or Indranil, the abusive and irresponsible son in ‘Shontaan’, Ritwick delivers convincing performances every time. For him, 2024 concluded on a high note with audiences lauding his portrayal in ‘Shontaan’ and 2025 begins with two of his films, ‘Bhaggyolokkhi’ and ‘Oporichito’, hitting the big screens.

In ‘Bhaggyolokkhi’, Ritwick reunites with director Mainak Bhaumik, with whom he has previously worked on ‘Bibaho Diaries’, ‘Chawlochitro Circus’ and ‘Happy Pill’. Among them, ‘Bibaho Diaries’, which explores the life of a newly married couple, remains a fan favourite and Ritwick still gets asked about it wherever he goes.

For Ritwick, the size of a role doesn’t matter - it’s the story that draws him in and ‘Bhaggyolokkhi’ had a unique one. In this film, Bhaumik explores a darker theme. “A dark comedy set against a crime background hasn’t been done in Bengali cinema. I’ve worked with Mainak several times, but with ‘Bhaggyolokkhi’, I saw a new side of him,” Ritwick said with a smile.

Looking ahead, Ritwick is gearing up to shoot the new season of his popular web series ‘Adv. Achinta Aich’. When asked about the formulaic trends creeping into OTT platforms, similar to those in cinema, Ritwick said, “I think it’s tied to the economics of the industry. Mobile content, especially reels, also poses tough competition and our shrinking attention spans only add to the challenge.”

The actor is also busy working on other projects, including ‘Winkle Twinkle’, ‘Mrigaya’, ‘Paharganj Halt’, ‘Rabindra Kabya Rahasya’ and ‘Nadharer Bhela’.