‘ASH IS NO PRIMA DONNA’

Tell us about your latest film, Khela.
It’s about a film-maker, played by Prasenjit Chatterjee, and a child, played by newcomer Akashneel Datta Mukherjee, and the bond that forms between them over the shooting of a film. At one level, it’s a thriller and at another, it’s an adventure that takes both characters on a journey of self-discovery. It’s not very heavy or intense, free of psychological complexities unlike my other films. It’s a celebration of innocence in its abundance.  

You had announced the film long back. What took it so long to be made?
Initially, Pritish Nandy Communication was producing it. But after we started, we both realised that PNC didn’t have the infrastructure to release a regional film, which is when we decided to part. It was not a bitter parting as rumours hint. Rather, we decided amicably that it was in the best interest of the film. I want to emphasise this, once and for all, that they were very supportive and helpful.  

But the movie does seem to be a departure from your usual. For instance, for the first time, the protagonist is a man…
As a filmmaker, I want to attempt different genres of filmmaking. My last two films, Antarmahal and Doshar, were serious and rather dark. Thus, I wanted to make something simple. Khela seemed to be the perfect answer to that. The film demands Prasenjit’s character. Unlike many of my other movies where he has played the male lead, here he is the hero. There is an element of wish-fulfillment in the movie, which he conveys very creditably. It’s a man-child bond that grows over the period of shooting a movie. A male lead was inevitable and so was my choice. Besides, he is the only male actor who has successfully erased my reputation of making women-centric films by winning the National Award for Doshar.(laughs) 

... contd.