Legendary actress-filmmaker Aparna Sen turned 80 on Saturday. On the occasion, The Telegraph Online reached out to filmmaker Suman Ghosh, who recently helmed a documentary on Sen, and has also authored a book based on his conversations with her.
Reflecting on his long association with Sen, Ghosh said, “I first worked with Aparna-di when she acted in my film Basu Paribar. The film had a galaxy of stars — Soumitra Chatterjee, Paran Bandopadhyay, Rituparna Sengupta, Jisshu Sengupta, Saswata Chatterjee — so I didn’t have much one-on-one interaction with her initially. But soon after, I began visiting her home for adda sessions, and that’s when a deep friendship began to grow. I realised that a mind like hers needed to be explored and understood — that became my inspiration for making a documentary on her.”
For Ghosh, the idea of documenting the life and philosophy of an iconic filmmaker isn’t new. “It’s quite common practice abroad — there are documentaries on Hitchcock, Coppola, and Scorsese. Even Shyam Benegal has helmed a documentary on Satyajit Ray. So, for me, this was a way of paying homage to a senior filmmaker who has inspired me tremendously.”
Ghosh’s book, The Worlds of Aparna, published by Simon & Schuster, released on Sen’s 80th birthday. “The book tries to capture the many worlds of Aparna — as an actress, filmmaker, editor, and thinker — and most importantly, the way her mind works. I believe a filmmaker writing about another filmmaker brings a unique perspective,” he said.
Looking back at his years of collaboration and friendship with Sen, Ghosh said two qualities define her most: her zest for life and her uncompromising honesty.
“Even at 80, if you speak to her, you’d never guess her age. She has the spirit of a child — it’s almost like Fitzgerald’s The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. And then there’s her honesty — in her work, in her politics, and in her personal life. She says what she feels, she doesn’t hide her feelings. That’s rare today”.
“Even when I make my films, I tell my team that whether the film turns out good or bad is secondary — what matters is that it’s honest. That’s something I’ve learned from her,” Ghosh added.
That honesty, paired with Sen’s unflagging curiosity and warmth, is what makes her truly timeless, Ghosh opines.