Growing up in the 1970s, I was introduced to rock ’’ roll, the hippie movement and marijuana. And I’ve seen very talented people losing out to drugs. Musicians, poets, friends and lovers of rock ’’ roll music have screwed up their lives by taking drugs. I’ve always felt that I need to do a film which is about the death wish of creative talent, who go into the unknown and get into drugs. At 60, with my new film Shesh Boley Kichhu Nei (releases on June 27), I’m looking back and dealing with issues I’ve seen in my life. I wanted to make a film about drugs and music. The story of Shesh... (produced by Mou Roychowdhury of V3G Films) is about a young musician Andy (Jisshu Sengupta) addicted to heroin and struggling to somehow survive. Shesh… has its inspiration in many films I’ve seen. These are cult films made by great directors. Down the line these films have shaped my sensibilities as actor, director and musician. In Shesh... I am not blaming or judging Andy. I am questioning myself and the society around that produces addicts like him.

The Man With The Golden Arm

One of the first films on drug addiction. I saw it in the early 1970s in Calcutta. At that time I was doing music, smoking up, hanging around hippies. And this film — about a heroin addict who gets clean in prison but struggles to lead a clean life outside — made me afraid of drugs. It is one of those old black-and-white films that is still valid. It has a dark but hopeful story, along with a fine performance by Frank Sinatra, who happens to be one of my fave vocalists. I saw the film again when I was making Shesh Boley Kichhu Nei, which also talks about coming out of drugs.

The Fighter

One of my fave contemporary films since it is about fighting one’s own demons. Like Abani does in Ranjana Ami Aar Ashbona. There’s a difference between fighting for oneself and fighting for others, and that’s what Dicky Eklund (Christian Bale plays a boxing trainer) does. When it comes to drugs, you not only lose yourself but also your loved ones. You are harming not only yourself but also society and the people around you. And when I was making Shesh… I showed Jisshu the withdrawal scenes. The film became relevant to us, thematically and acting-wise. Jisshu has come up with a terrific performance, and maybe it was Christian Bale who pushed him to do that!

The Doors

This is again a film about cinema, drugs and music. And Jim Morrison is everyone’s favourite. I have always tried to understand the death wish of great talents. Why do creative geniuses have this death wish? I’ve never been able to understand this. The death wish is giving him the music but on the other hand is killing him. And that has been strongly brought out in the film. And Val Kilmer looks just like Jim Morrison!

Trainspotting

I saw Trainspotting before I made Madly Bangalee. The style of this Danny Boyle film really affected my understanding of cinema. I got absorbed by its style… the complete rawness and grittiness of it. I really liked Ewan McGregor. When we did Madly Bangalee we used to see this film. The movie helped me relate to this young group of actors who were working with me (in Madly Bangalee). Trainspotting to those young people was what A Clockwork Orange was to us.

Traffic

This Steven Soderbergh film is a brilliant political thriller. Traffic is about addiction, the drug cartel, and how drugs affect family members and society in general. In a world ruled by power and money, drugs play a decisive role. The film goes beyond the individual and shows us how society is affected and how families disintegrate. And the film doesn’t blame anyone or take sides. It just shows the real picture.

The Rose

Bette Midler delivers a powerful performance in this musical loosely based on the life of singer Janis Joplin. The Rose was important when I was making Ranjana... I remember showing Parno Mittra the scenes of Bette Midler singing with grit. Mary Rose Foster (Midler) was once into cocaine and the film goes on to show how the ruthless world of power and money forces her into drugs again. The film is about self-destruction, and how this vocalist struggles to cope with the constant pressures of her career. The Rose also tells a beautiful story. It is one of those forgotten films and I would like young people to see it.

The Panic In Needle Park

The film is important to me because of Al Pacino’s performance. After watching it I decided that I liked Al more than Robert De Niro! Al has a certain intensity that is very rare among actors. I was so moved by his performance. He underplays it so well. And this film (a love story between a young addict and a restless woman) shows love is greater (than anything else).

Bad Lieutenant

This film is very important to me as an actor. It’s a thriller by Abel Ferrara, and my fave actor Harvey Keitel plays the protagonist. I decided to be a better actor after watching this film. Harvey plays a cop who is trying to find out who raped a nun, but he is heavily into cocaine. He is a law-keeper who is into illegal stuff. His job and his habit are going against each other. I was so moved by his performance. Whenever I get a chance to play a good character, I watch Bad Lieutenant to study Harvey’s acting. I watch it intently. He brings in a sense of vulnerability to the character. He is not trying to be heroic or too confident before the camera.

The Basketball Diaries

Leonardo DiCaprio rocks in this film. The film focuses on people who are into sports, which needs physical strength. But then Jim Carroll (Leo), a promising basketball player, gets into heroin. The scenes where he is taking drugs with his friends are very powerful.

Bird

This Clint Eastwood film is based on the life of jazz legend Charlie Parker. I am a follower of Clint. He acts, directs and is also a musician himself. He plays the piano. Clint has been my reference point all my life and I was waiting for him to do a musical, which he finally did in 1988. And it’s a brilliant film. In Bird, Clint celebrates jazz and Charlie, who incidentally was into drugs. The film portrays Charlie Parker’s struggle with drugs and thematically it’s close to Shesh Boley Kichhu Nei.

As told to Arindam Chatterjee

Which is your favourite film on addiction? Tell t2@abp.in