Birsa Dasgupta

Birsa Dasgupta’s 033, which hits the theatres on March 5, does more than just chart the rise of a music band in Calcutta. The 30-year-old first-time filmmaker tells t2 how 033 is also about GenX reconnecting with its roots...

What inspired you to make 033?

My father (Raja Dasgupta) had made a hit serial Ekushe Pa a long time back, after which some producers wanted him to make a film revolving around campus life. So, he wrote a script along with Debaloy Bhattacharya. It was called Megher Kachhakachhi. Somehow the film didn’t materialise and when I returned from Mumbai to make a Bengali film after assisting Anurag Kashyap in Black Friday, Debaloy and I zeroed in on that script and developed it into 033, which is about Calcutta and a band. We named it 033, after Calcutta’s STD code. It’s the communication code for me. It’s also the name of the band.

Is 033 about today’s band culture?

It isn’t just a band film. It deals with various emotions, from young people migrating out of this city to people coming back to this city in search of roots. I chose this subject because I could identify with it. 033 is a film of my age, for my generation.

The film has an ensemble cast. Who plays what?

Parambrata plays the lead guitarist Som, the character I identify with the most in the film. Param is a lot like Som.... You will see a new Swastika in 033. Rudranil, who plays the keyboardist, can fit into any crowd because of his sense of humour, which was needed for the role. Mumtaz fitted the bill of a tall and broad-framed girl, the female lead vocalist. Shaheb plays the band’s lead vocalist, someone with loads of attitude. Dhroov Mukherjee plays the drummer. Benuda (Sabyasachi Chakraborty) plays Santiago. He is the band’s mentor and a very stylised character.

How did NDTV Imagine Pictures come on board as the presenters?

Well, last year Suvankar Banerjee, the creative head of NDTV Imagine, had come to Calcutta scouting for directors. I happened to meet him through a friend. He liked my story and decided to present the film. By then, Joy Ganguly of Moxie Group (producer of The Bong Connection) had come forward to produce my film when several other producers turned me down saying that the script had novelty but I should try something more ‘regular’.

Kushali Nag

SWASTIKASPEAK

Picture by Pabitra das; make-up: Aniruddha chakladar; costume: suchismita dasgupta; jewellery: anjali

What you play in 033:

I am Mrinalini, a Delhi-based girl who comes to Calcutta in search of her roots. In Calcutta, she meets the members of band 033 who sing a song she has heard since childhood but the band claims it to be an original number. Slowly, Mrinalini bonds with the band members. There’s also a hint of a relationship between the band’s lead guitarist Som (Parambrata Chattopadhyay) and her.

The Mrinalini-Som chemistry:

Their romance is underplayed. There is no exchange of romantic words and they don’t spend lovey-dovey moments together. Their relationship grows along with the story. It’s very different.

Your new look in the film:

The look was decided by Sohagmashi (Sen). Suchismita Dasgupta has done the costumes. When Birsa narrated the script to me, he made it clear that he wanted a new not-tried-before look and the change should be very noticeable. So, I immediately got a haircut from Satin Rose. I chose a short crop. It looked amazing on me and I still get compliments! I’m giving serious thought to repeating the cut!

Your toughest scene:

There’s one scene involving Som towards the climax where there’s a lot of dialogue and expressions. Matching my expressions with the dialogues was tough. The scene where Mrinalini breaks down in front of her father was also tough.

MUMTAZSPEAK

What you play in 033:

I play Ria, a Marwari girl from a conservative family. Ria wanted to be a model but couldn’t because of family pressure. Instead, she became a member of 033. She is the lead female vocalist in the all-male band and bonds with the lead vocalist Arnab (Shaheb Chatterjee).

The screen chemistry between you and Shaheb:

Well, Shaheb made me very comfortable while doing the intimate scenes in 033. I think we have a chemistry and people want to see us together. We do a lot of chhyablami together. I didn’t even know him before 033. Birsa introduced us during a script-reading session. Shaheb has taught me how to act.

The off-screen chemistry between you and Shaheb:

I know there’s a lot of gossip going around about us. But believe me, we are just two like-minded people who are very comfortable in each other’s company! My wavelength matches his. I can relate to Shaheb. Yes, we do meet at parties, watch films together and also hang out together, but can’t two friends do these things? All this is affecting our friendship. I become conscious when I am with him now.

The buzz is that Birsa’s planning a love story with you and Shaheb...

Yes, it’s a mind-blowing script! I was just bowled over when I heard the script but I can’t divulge more now...