‘Today, there are more proposal makers than filmmakers’

Diplomacy has never been Moushumi Chatterjee’s style. Known for speaking her mind, she casually points out how today there seem to be more ‘proposal makers’ than filmmakers.

The veteran actress is making a comeback to Bengali cinema after 12 years, playing Yash’s mother in ‘Aari’, which also stars Nusrat Jahan. Her last major role was as Pishima Rashmoni in Aparna Sen’s ‘Goynar Baksho’ (2013), a performance that made it clear no one else could have done the part quite like her.

Ask her if she’s open to doing more films in Bengal and she’s quick to reply. “Why wouldn’t I? Call me with a good script and I’ll happily do it. But these days, there are more proposal makers than real filmmakers. A director should have a true passion for the story,” said Moushumi, who began her journey in cinema with Tarun Majumdar’s Bengali blockbuster ‘Balika Badhu’ (1967) at just 19.

Directed by Jiit Chakraborty, ‘Aari’ explores the happiness and struggles of family ties and weaves a tender mother-son story. Talking about the changing dynamics of the industry, the ‘Anuraag’ actress said how discipline and sincerity seem to be fading among today’s young actors.

“Back then, we were eager to learn from our seniors and peers. Today, many young actors are busy with their phones on set. For me, the urge to learn has never stopped. There’s always something to pick up whether it’s from a director, a co-actor or even a crew member,” she said.

Moushumi said she was drawn to ‘Aari’ because of its old-world charm and its relatable storytelling.

“Today, songs don’t even match the scenes they’re supposed to be in and you hardly remember them. But ‘Aari’ had a simple, innocent feel and classic storytelling, which pulled me in,” said the ‘Piku’ actress, who also formed a warm bond with Yash and Nusrat during the shoot.

When asked about the shift in filmmaking, the ‘Manzil’ actress said with her trademark sarcasm: “These days, Bollywood and Tollywood are almost the same. It’s only the South Indian industry that’s really shining. All you see is old films being dry-cleaned and re-released and that just shows how few good new films are being made.”

The 77-year-old star also took a nostalgic trip down memory lane, recalling her golden years in Bengali cinema when she worked with legends like Tapan Sinha, Ajoy Kar and Tarun Majumdar. Calling herself ‘lucky’ and ‘gifted’ to have worked with legends like Uttam Kumar, who was a close friend of her father-in-law, Hemanta Mukhopadhyay, the ‘Ogo Bodhu Sundari’ actress said, “I was lucky. I feel so blessed to have met the greats and worked with them.”