Satabdi on Tapas

On directing Tapas:

Tapasda is a very flexible actor. He suits all kinds of roles. He is still very hard-working. He learnt to play the dhak for two months before the shooting. It’s easy for a director to work with an actor like him. Besides, Tapasda has no tantrums. As a director I go through immense pressure on the sets and he never poses any problems. He respects me as a director. He never makes me feel like a co-star who is trying to boss him on the sets. He is very obedient.

Why Tapas is a must in all your films:

He is not a must. I mean we haven’t signed an agreement. But yes, he had done a guest appearance in my debut film Abhinetri. In Friend, he played a scientist and in my third film Dhaki he plays my husband. I like to cast him because he can handle emotional scenes very well. I am very comfortable with him.

How you would rate Tapas as an actor:

I would give him a 9 on 10.

On being a hit screen couple:

We became a hit pair even before Gurudakshina. Our first film was Amar Bandhan, which was also about dhakis. I think we clicked because there was never any ego clash between us. Perhaps that’s why I have more hits with Tapasda though I have done more films with Bumba (Prosenjit).

Your best work as a pair:

Salil Dutta’s Abishkar and Tarun Majumdar’s Apon Amar Apon. Both were big hits.

Staying friends for 23 years:

We have remained very good friends all these years. And it’s unbelievable that we’ve never had fights! I have worked with heroes who I would never say hi-hello to. But such a situation never arose with Tapasda. His wife Nandini is a very good friend of mine. We are family friends now.

Tapas on Satabdi

Being directed by Satabdi:

See, I will act for any director. Satabdi is no exception, but there is certainly a comfort level with her. She knows me as an actor, trusts me and believes in me.

Why you’re a part of all Satabdi films:

That’s because I can never say no to her. Besides, I like the roles she offers me. But not only Satabdi, if tomorrow Debasree (Roy) or Rituparna (Sengupta) directs a film and wants me to be a part of it, I will say yes. Satabdi offers me films which have good scripts and we both co-operate with each other.

How you would rate her as a director:

That’s a very difficult thing to do. I am an old friend and so I can’t do this. But as Satabdi is an actress herself, she understands the concept and technicalities of direction.

On your screen chemistry:

It’s difficult to say what made us a hit pair but I think our off-screen friendship was reflected on screen.

Your best work as a pair:

Gurudakshina and Apon Amar Apon.

On Tapas-Satabdi link-ups:

Oh, there have been so many rumours about us! But rumours never bothered us as we looked at it positively. Bad publicity often turns out to be good publicity!

Satabdi as a friend:

What should I say? We have been colleagues for 23 years. So, there is a huge amount of understanding between us. She is more like family now.