EXCLUSIVE: 'My fight is not for the national award' - Prosenjit Chatterjee
After a long wait, 'Kakababur Protyaborton' is coming to the big screen soon. Prosenjit Chatterjee was convinced even in uncertain times. The superstar spoke with an open mind.
How are you
I'm fine now. 13 days have passed (Monday), I will go to work in five more days. When I was sitting at home at COVID-19 Hall, that's unfortunate. When I was shooting outside, I went to Mumbai.
After almost three years, your picture is going to be released in theaters. The last came in 'Robibaar' theaters and 'Nirontor' on TV.
That's right! Pujo was planning to release 'Kakababur Protyaborton' in the same year as Pandemic L. But not. After waiting for almost two and a half years, 'Kakababur Protyaborton' is coming on 4th February.
Did the frustration swallow?
Yeah Al that sounds pretty crap to me, Looks like BT ain't for me either. The most important aspect of 'Kakababu' is the family picture and the baby picture. It's a big movie. Although many of these pictures have come out. It's a picture of the big span, which naturally cuts us off in a lot of turmoil. The picture could not come even when Christmas was coming, Corona Third Wave came, looked bad. Now at least people are coming in to see the pictures. At the moment people are going to restaurants, Shopping Mall. And the producer has to release the picture. How much longer can you wait! In the time that is passing, it is difficult to calculate in advance. On the plus side, there's Basant Panchami at the time, followed by Valentine's Day. With this in mind, the producers are bringing 'Kakababur Protyaborton' at this time. So I'm happy.
After a long time, Prosenjit Chatterjee & Srijit Mukherjee will return to the big screen at the same time.
Yes, that's one thing. Now everything in life is so uncertain yet my idea is if the movie is good people will watch. Hopefully, people are back in the hall, and congratulations to the Tonic team. People have seen the picture. 'Bini Sutoy' was also seen by the audience at that time. We have to fight this. Life has to be taken towards recovery, obeying all the rules and regulations. You have to wear a mask and be careful.
How optimistic is the audience about 'Kakababur Protyaborton'
I can't comment on the box office. .If it was an indefinite time, I might have thought a little and said. There must be a craze for 'Kakababur Protyaborton'. God knows, the audience knows how effective that will be at the moment. If the picture goes, I understand that Iswar and Sangbad are working magic. Because it is his unimaginable creation of children. There is a lot in the picture for kids to like. South African context, large mounting image. For the last 2-3 years, nothing has happened to the children. I'm not saying they have to go to the hall and be entertained. But everything was closed. Now everything is opening slowly.
Another Bengali movie is coming on the same day. 'Baba Baby O' directed by Aritra Mukherjee from 'Windows'.
I think people will see two pictures. There is an attraction in the picture of shiboprosad-Nandita Roy's house. And the trailer has been pretty funny. This is what I want people to see in all the pictures. Otherwise, we will not be able to survive.
Lots of Bengali movies waiting to be released. But the whole situation is uncertain. The industry can turn around, what do you think?
Yes, of course. I think we have to continue our fight for another 6 months. Coronavirus has given a push, right out of COVID, but then there will be 2-3 different images. That is true of all industries. There will be some pictures for OTT and TV. And some will be for the big screen. In the case of the big screen, big mounting, good content is required. We cannot make it 'Baahubali'. I can't even break all the record-breaking pictures like 'Pushpa: The Rise'. But I can give good content. Content that needs to be targeted, will be seen by everyone at the national level. I will tell the story of one person who has turned around - there is no Rituparno Ghosh but that magic has to be returned. Another 'Chokher Bali' has to be made. I mean, even if the film is in Bengali, people will see it at the national level. But we have to touch this level. 'Chokher Bali' was seen by people in all versions.
'Kakababur Protyaborton' as far as I know is dubbed and released in Hindi, on the same day. There is a lot of English in this picture. The kind of visuals in the film, dubbed people from all over the country can see. After being stuck in Pandemic for a while, your handiwork again.
For the last few months, I have been working. I did Atanu Ghosh's 'Shesh Pata'. Stardust finished Vikramaditya Motwane's work in Mumbai. The work was stuck for 2 years. I did Shiboprosad Mukherjee's 'Haami 2'. I did Jeet Production's 'Aye Khuku Aye' in his space. This time I will start 'Kacher Manush' in DEV production. Then 'Dakter Kaku' is committed to Pavel. Talking about a picture with Param team. There is some more work to be done. And there will be 'Shajghor', but a little behind. I work. We have to deal with this situation. For the last fifteen years, I have been fighting for work.
Do you have any regrets?
Never say, today. After 'Dosar', the people of Bengal thought that I might be worthy of such a film. But if everyone does not think worthy of the national award? So I didn't get it. But my fight is not for national awards, but for spectators. I also did films like 'Moner Manush', 'Shankhachil', 'Jaatishwar', 'Autograph', 'Robibaar', 'Gumnaami', 'Mayurakshi'. Now the viewers want to see the movie 'Shesh Pata'. 'Aye Khuku Aye' is also a very challenging work, even though it is a commercial film. Again, we have to keep the movie alive. Not just OTT or TV. Satyajit Ray, Mrinal Sen, Ritwik Ghatak's name but still known Indian cinema. But we have to make that movie-language picture.