Subhash K Jha talks with Bengali actor/director about being a new father and what is coming up next.
Congratulations, you are a father now?
It’s a very unique experience. I’ve just gotten into my fatherhood break. Now travelling also will become a lot lesser and all the way till July. I am NOT actively participating in any particular project.
So a complete paternity leave?
I will be looking after a few things, overseeing a few things, and a few scripts. Writings which are going on for projects which are supposed to start after August from August . So I shall be overseeing the writing process of that now, those things of the film series, everything, but actively, I won’t be shooting until the baby settles in. Both my wife and myself are incredibly excited. It’s a delightful phase of our lives, and we want to enjoy it together.
You have earned yourself the break? You have been prolific working in multiple film industries?
Although I do work in the in various cinemas, I still basically belong to the Bengali industry and the the division of my time between Bengali and Hindi is still a little tilted towards Bengali.
So, in a way, you kind of make up for that by doing a little more work. I know that’s a very simplistic way of explaining being prolific . At the same time, I would also say that I am a little bit of a workaholic, and I do run a bit high on octane when it comes to doing different kinds of things , on multitasking. But I think with time and a bit of experience, I have sort of managed to devote an equal amount of time and concentration, most importantly, attention, on everything that I’m doing.
How do you determine how to divide your time between Bengali and Hindi cinema?
It depends on the kind of work I’m getting in Hindi And in the Bengali industry goes without saying no one has to play the volume game because you know we work with much smaller budgets.
At this point of your career what kind of work excites you the most?
I’ve been working as an actor for twenty-five long years and I thoroughly enjoy it . It’s like if I am NOT acting for any more than like two or three month I feel that a big part of my life is sort of gone amiss.
Which do you enjoy more, acting or directing?
If you really ask me , I really do enjoy directing and creating and working as a creator. An actor is also a creator, of course. But then an actor will always be subservient to the vision of the director or the vision that the piece demands Whereas as a creator, I think you know the holistic idea being in your head. I think that’s what excites me the most . That’s what I’ve studied. I mean, that’s what I’ve really worked towards for all these years. And I’ve learned on the job while acting. So yes, there’s a certain confidence and certain passion that’s that I can feel in my veins when I don the director’s hat.
