Kolkata, Feb 2 : He has now become one of the busiest directors of the Bengali film industry, and making films with less or no intervals is his USP. The filmmaker, who is now all set with his two new Bolly projects, is eyeing his latest as well as 17th Bengali release this February 4.
Before the release of ‘Kakababur Protyaborton’, Srijit Mukherji had an exclusive chat with UNI about his films and many more.
Excerpt: Q: A film of Srijit Mukherji – Prosenjit Chattopadhyay duo is going to be released after a long time. And this time, neither of them has their birthday adjacent to the release date.
Srijit: Yes, it happened after a long time. This is possibly happening after ‘Jaatishwar’.
Q: Do you think releasing the film at this time is a reasonable decision?
Srijit: Producers and exhibitors can answer this better. My job is to complete the film, to look at the technical aspects of the film as much as possible. My commitment is to hand over the film to the producers after finishing it. How many audiences will come or whether it is the right call to release the film at this time is entirely up to the producers. I think the producers are releasing the film at this time keeping satellite and OTT rights in mind. I have no comment on this. My job was to complete the film, that’s what I did.
Q: What are your expectations of audience turnout?
Srijit: I have nothing to say in this matter. But, there is a problem with 50 per cent occupancy (according to the revised government regulations, it has been increased to 75 per cent). Because it is a film made for children and it is hard to have a ‘family turnout’ if there is no opportunity to sit side by side. Needless to say, it doesn’t work if there is no family turnout in a children’s film.
Q: ‘Kakababur Protyaborton” will also be released in Hindi. You spend a lot of time in Mumbai now. What do you think is the acceptability of such films in Hindi at the moment?
Srijit: I honestly have no idea. However, I do not think that ‘Bangaliana’ can be translated appropriately into Hindi. The ‘bangaliana’ of Kakababu or Feluda is so intense that can’t be translated. I think the theatres are empty now so maybe the producers have decided to dub it and release it in Hindi. But conceptually, it is very very difficult to make it in Hindi.
Q: You made ‘Kakababu’ initially. Then you made ‘Feluda’. Now you are going to helm a ‘Byomkesh’ film. Bengalis have several sentiments for ‘Kakababu’, ‘Feluda’ and ‘Byomkesh’. How challenging is it for a director to go on with all of them simultaneously?
Srijit: ‘Byomkesh’ is not what I want to continue. I had no plans to do it. I have consented to do ‘Byomkesh’ as the story ‘Durgo Rahasya’ is one of my favourites. I don’t think I’ll do a lot of ‘Byomkesh’. I will make lots of ‘Feluda’. Maybe I’ll make all the Feluda stories. But I have no such plans for ‘Byomkesh’.
Q: Background music plays a distinct role in such kinds of films. How much input and involvement do you have in ‘Kakababu’ and ‘Feluda’ in regards to background music?
Srijit: I am working with Indradeep Dasgupta in ‘Kakababu’ and working with Joy Sarkar in ‘Feluda’. Just like the mood of ‘Kakababu’ and ‘Feluda’ is different, so is the mood of their musical arrangement. This difference, I think, enriches both of the projects and enriches me from the perspective of musical experience. After all, it allows me to work with two brilliant artists. I’ve been working with Dasgupta for a long time. We have been working together since the time of ‘Baishe Srabon’. Even before that, when I wrote the song ‘Ali Maula’, he had done the music. On the other hand, I just started working with Joy but it feels so good that a lot of work has been done already. We have done ‘Feluda’, ‘REKKA’ and there will be more for sure. The musical flavour of Indradeep Dasgupta and Joy Sarkar is different and the way they work also is a little different. But yes, I always got involved in the musical part of all my films. And the collaboration is very strong regarding background music.
Q: Merchandise has been introduced for ‘Kakababur Protyaborton’. Merchandise is not a very widespread factor for Bengali films. Though the t-shirts with film dialogues sold pretty well, there is no organized merchandise market. Being a billion-dollar industry worldwide, what will be the future of the ‘merchandising industry’ in Bengal? What is the analysis of econometrician Srijit Mukherji?
Srijit: I think we attained a little bit of maturity now. We’ve attempted it before too. During the ‘Mishawr Rawhoshyo’ we made coffee mugs, t-shirts. But that was a new chapter in the marketing scenario of Bengal. That is why it was not successful at that time. Merchandise has not become as popular as the film. With the advent of the internet, our communication with several processes and methods in the world of entertainment has become much stronger. So around here, we see ‘Harry Potter’, ‘Lord of the Rings’, ‘Avengers’, ‘Marvel’ and much more merchandise. The thing has taken a huge leap. The franchises also have massive followings. From that point of view, the characters of Bengali literature, films and detectives are a little behind. However, I would say that now the scenario has changed a bit, now there is an opportunity for the merchandise industry to prosper. I’ve seen a lot of Feluda merchandise and they are very popular. Lots of merchandise involving Ray and his creations are tremendously popular. I think ‘Kakababu’ also is a character like that.
Q: You are presently working in Bollywood and will certainly do a lot more. Does the national award remove even a boulder in the way of Bollywood?
Srijit: No. The national award does nothing but brings the biscuit with the tea. During the first meeting, if there is a national award, you will be offered tea, along with biscuits. That’s it. Then it all depends on the merit of the story and how well you pitch your story. From the point of view of familiarity, the first meeting may be a little easier. The rest is like going to bat every time. No matter what you’ve done before, your score starts from zero every time. Maybe the expectations of the spectators will be high, maybe the applause will be a little more when you go down to bat. But the scoreboard starts from scratch. Be it in Bollywood or Tollywood. Even now, every time I go to make a new Bengali film, I start from scratch.
Q: You wrapped up your film ‘Sherdil’ much ahead of schedule. Your Mumbai team must have been very surprised?
Srijit: They were surprised and said that they would borrow my unit for their next film. Pankaj Tripathi also told me this. Because Pankaj wants to make films. Pankaj was surprised. Neeraj Kabi was surprised, fascinated and overwhelmed by the way we work. Then when they went to do the dubbing and watched the final product, that fascination resumed. ‘Sherdil’ comes to be one of my favourite films personally. This is a film that I have shot with sheer pleasure, post-production is also going very smoothly. The final product that stands out makes me feel that this is one of my best films, if not the best.
Q: You have made an identity in Mumbai. After that, will Bengali films get less of Srijit Mukherji?
Srijit: Look, some stories are very easy to tell in Mumbai. The investment that is made there or the budget that is given makes a difference. In the case of sports films or science fiction, Mumbai’s budget is much more effective. While working in Mumbai, you don’t have to worry about many basic things that you still have to worry about in Kolkata. On the other hand, there are some stories that I have to tell in Kolkata. I can make a double biopic of Sri Chaitanya and Noti Binodini nowhere other than Kolkata. I have to make ‘Feluda’ in Kolkata, even if I want to do ‘Byomkesh’, I have to do it in Kolkata. So I will work in both Bengali and Hindi languages. I want to work in other languages too. I want to make films in English, I want to make films in Malayalam. I think, there is a challenge in learning a new language and then making a film in that language. There is sheer joy in expanding our range, it is something that I have always loved to do.
Q: You are the only director of your generation whose film stars Uttam Kumar in a lead role. How do you feel about this?
Srijit: (Laughs) This is a great feeling. I’ve never done a film like this before. Probably, no one ever did. The main character is entirely created from the footage of his old films and the screenplay has been written by calculating it back. I am very excited about ‘Oti Uttam’, let’s see what happens!
Q: People are saying that Srijit Mukherji has become more tolerant on social media these days. Are they right?
Srijit: Ha ha haha. No, it’s nothing like that. I’m still the same person. People may be maintaining basic manners now.
Q: You mean, people have changed a bit?
Srijit: Not exactly changed. People may be are maintaining the etiquette of commenting on social media to some extent.
Q: Does Srijit Mukherji love controversy or controversy love Srijit Mukherji?
Srijit: Srijit Mukherji loves to eat, loves cricket and loves music. And he doesn’t have an account of who loves Srijit Mukherji. Among the many names, the name of the controversy can be on the list.
Q: I think it’s there on the list. Because lots of your common things also intrigue controversy. Maybe even if you don’t want to…
Srijit: … maybe. However, I have no interest in this and I do not keep track of it. I have always lived my life in my way. I always told the story on my terms. I will do the same in the future.
Q: Well, will the ‘Feluda Pherot’ Season 2 will come before Season 3? This question is one of the most asked ‘filmy questions’ on several social media groups.
Srijit: Ha ha ha ha. Season 2 of ‘Feluda Pherot’ will come before season 3. Yet, I don’t know which story will come in season 2 and which will come in season 3.
Q: You are hinting that the one who will come first will be named season 2 and the other will be named season 3. Is that so?
Srijit: Absolutely. The one that will come first will be season 2. You see, as a statistician and an econometrician, I don’t like mockeries about numbers. So, under any circumstances, 2 will come before 3 for sure. Only the story can go back and forth (laughs).
