Is the moustache and the stubble for a film? 
No, actually after a long time I got a month off. So I thought of experimenting with my look and the safest would be to grow a moustache and a stubble, which I can shave off in a few minutes. I have always been clean-shaven. I hope I can use this look in a film because the look plays an important part for any actor to bring out a character better. Like my look in Kathmundu (directed by Raj Chakraborty) is very different. I have spiked hair, I wore coloured pants with boots and jackets. Raj has a unique fashion sense. 

Do you like the bearded look or prefer clean-shaven?
My friends and family say they like me clean-shaven. They think keeping a beard means I’m down or depressed! I too feel that when a person is clean-shaven he looks fit, having a stubble means he is laid-back and sulky. Like in Shirshendubabu’s (Mukhopadhay) Parthibo or Ghunpoka, the hero keeps a stubble whenever he is depressed or trying hard to come out of the routine life. So, a stubble means saying no to routine, saying no to rules. Shirshendubabu always felt that and he is my favourite. 

So, do you have any of those qualities — being laid-back or depressed?
Laid-back yes, depressed no. But I am a little bit of a melancholic, generally. You know, there are stages in a man’s life when he is trying to recollect things, trying to... let’s say... re-evaluate things. Maybe I am in such a state of mind right now.

In what sense?
Regarding the kind of work I am doing. The kind of roles I am playing. I was a lot younger when I came to this industry, now I am 34 and the responsibility of my parents, my family is much more. The responsibility to my audience is double. So how to place my career is seriously something that’s eating up my brains now! Not that I am thinking of playing so-and-so characters more but I am trying to think and evaluate where I am standing, what films I should do and what I should not do, what I have done earlier that I don’t want to repeat, or something that I have missed out on and should do now.

It’s been just six years and you’ve already started re-evaluating? 
Yes, my first film was Cross Connection in 2009. But I have done almost 20-25 films. I feel that every actor should evaluate his career every four years, just to know where he is standing. The kind of profession we are in, we don’t get films or choose films as per our choice. The kind of roles I am getting may be I don’t always want to do them, but I am still saying yes because that’s bread and butter. Evaluation helps and now I am in that zone where I shouldn’t only be thinking about my role or my films; I instead should look at the bigger picture. For instance, I must be able to gauge what kind of films can appeal to the audience. 

There was a time when all Bengalis were watching Bengali films in the theatre, now that’s not happening. I am at a point in my career where I am just not selfishly thinking about myself. It won’t help in the long run. I have to think about the industry too. One must do some thinking about why a particular film works and another doesn’t. But I could never plan or strategise things, I don’t plan to turn producer or director in the next five years, no. But you have to think if there’s an alternative.     

And what are your deductions from the evaluation?
It’s a continuous process. It’s not like I did it till Saturday and from today I will do things differently. I have realised that in certain places I have to call a spade a spade, finally, which I don’t usually because I feel the other person will feel bad. But if that is affecting my career, then that’s not good. There were times when I couldn’t say no to a director and later I felt that I shouldn’t have done the film. 

My audience associate me with a certain brand of films and roles. They don’t want me to be only in Feluda and Byomkesh films. I am very thankful that they allow me to experiment. In fact they tell me that I am only playing the sleuth, I should do something different. I have a very good mix of audience who interact with me regularly. There are those who say, ‘OMG you are so handsome, I want to hug you’ and click a selfie, and there are those who have categorically pointed out my flaws and that is the moment when I realised that they are now taking me seriously. Now I can’t do a film just to add to the number. And that is what I am re-evaluating, basically.   

You want to call a spade a spade, you want to say no directors. There seems to be a lot of angst inside...
Yes, that’s because I have never really reacted to good or bad things. 

You’ve been part of three Byomkesh Bakshi films, how do you think Jisshu Sengupta will fare as Byomkesh in Anjan Dutt’s next?
I can only comment after watching the film. When I did the first Byomkesh (based on Sharadindu Bandopadhyay’s Adim Ripu and directed by Anjan Dutt) people had only criticised me and the film. And I had taken it sportingly. With the second Byomkesh, the criticism was less, and the third Byomkesh was accepted with open arms. When I played Feluda, people criticised again. So I realised that as an audience, they also need time because these are iconic characters. They are in denial mode first but slowly they accept. I want to pat my back for being accepted as both Byomkesh and Feluda! (Laughs) And I am fortunate to have played the two most iconic characters of Bengali literature. Why I switched to Feluda is because all the Byomkesh films took a little too long to release, even the last one was lying in the cans for two years. That really demoralises an actor. But like it has been said about me — that I opted for Feluda without batting an eyelid — is wrong. That’s the only clarification I want to make through this interview.

You sound like you are sort of trying to present a new Abir Chatterjee to the audience...
Change is needed. The making and content must change from time to time. I need to be particular about the script. I am a little choosy, but I need to be more choosy. All said and done, the audience is not being able to connect with Bengali films, be it mainstream or urban films. That we will have to analyse and come out with a solution. We have to accept that the audience’s taste has changed. The whole of Calcutta will watch a Piku or Bombay Velvet, of course these films have tremendous star appeal and great production values. The same audience is giving these films a chance but not to Bengali films. Definitely we are lacking somewhere and we must figure that out before it’s too late. 

Kushali Nag
What kind of films should Abir do now? Tell t2@abp.in