Actors Sohini Sarkar and Ranojoy Bishnu have been great friends for many years. Cupid struck out of the blue and their love story began all of a sudden. “During the outdoor shoot of Judgement Day (web series) we bonded just like great friends. After a while, we reached Darjeeling. Suddenly we felt we should be spending more time together. Next day we had breakfast and more conversations followed,” recalls Sohini. “Sohini was always a very priyo manush for me. Then everything happened very fast,” smiles Rano. Both of them have been getting rave reviews for their sparkling act — replete with LOL lines — in Mainak Bhaumik’s Hoichoi web series Break-up Story.
A chat The Telegraph…

Sohini, if we were looking for some nice, spicy stories, could we go to Rano? Is Rano a good gossip-monger?!

Sohini: Rano has not perfected the art of doing great gossip. He has to let go of his inhibitions first. There are a few rules regarding the spread of gossip. And Rano would give such such an introduction beforehand or make things so clear in the beginning that the gossip won’t take off. If you are giving out a piece of gossip, you have to exaggerate it. You cannot just stick to the facts. One cannot be politically correct with gossip.
Rano: It will take time for me to perfect this!

In the series, Rano’s character always tells Sohini’s to follow a list of house rules when she moves in to his home. How would you react if you had faced all these house rules in real life?

Sohini: We are staying together (in Sohini’s home) because of the lockdown. But Rano’s house used to be cluttered; the sheets would not be changed in two weeks…
Rano: Not at all… it’s clean.
Sohini: Like everyone, Rano has a few house rules… for example, you cannot enter Rano’s room wearing shoes… and cannot sit on the bed without washing your feet or when wearing socks.

Sohini, do you have house rules?

Sohini: Yes, quite a few. Like, if you have coffee or read a book, things should be kept back in its place.
Rano: The bathroom should be kept dry.
Sohini: Rano has a number of different kinds of face wash, creams and shampoo… he’ll use a bit from all and store all the bottles.

So what are the things you fight over?

Sohini: In the beginning of the lockdown he would go into the kitchen to prepare, say a chicken dish, and leave it a bit untidy. Also, he is always watching a particular news channel… he would watch a grim piece of news even while we were having lunch or dinner. We would have these arguments during the shoot of the web series Pabitra Puppies (Sohini was acting in it and Rano was her DoP)! We had innumerable Zoom meetings and rehearsals with the team. During the shoot, Rano would sometimes design a frame where I was looking a bit on the heavier side. He was more concerned about how the frame was looking than how the actress was looking in it! He was talking in the DoP language then. It was like he was acting in a DoP’s role.
Rano: I loved doing the work and I was really excited.
Sohini: One day I asked him to step outside and take a shot of me sitting by the window. And he was like, ‘Why do we need this shot?! Is it going with the story?’

Both of you like the same kinds of movies and books…

Rano: We have similar taste in music.
Sohini: Yes, he showed me Aladdin, which I really liked. Also, Ankon Dekhi. I recommended him films like Schindler’s List, The Boy in the Striped Pajamas. Rano loves watching superhero films too! And he is a huge Amitabh Bachchan fan.
Rano: I am a die-hard fan! I know all his dialogues by heart. I have watched his Agneepath 26 or 27 times. Sohini likes Naseeruddin Shah films.

Rano, how was it like moving into Sohini’s home?

Rano: I was not used to doing household chores. It took time to get used to it.
Sohini: He makes different kinds of juice, from cucumber to aloe vera. I had never imagined that I would have dhonepatar juice.
Rano: Sohini makes amazing dishes… and she would always make six-seven dishes together. She is brilliant.

And Sohini, your character in Break-up Story does not like to cook…

Sohini: Just the opposite! And Rano is doing a lot of household chores now. He served lunch really nicely.
Rano: Khaiyeo diyechhi!

How comfortable are you working together as actors?

Sohini: We share a great comfort zone, we have been friends for many years. Our careers flowed in its own course. By the time we did Break-up Story I got to know him more.

Does it ever get competitive? Or is it complementary?

Rano: Complementary. It combines in such a way as to enhance or emphasise the qualities of each other. On a creative level, we trust each other completely. If she tells me something about work, I agree. During rehearsals for Break-up Story, she came up with suggestions for me and it worked out brilliantly. That is a great space for us.
Sohini: Rano has his own craft, and at best I can provide him with a few suggestions or options for a scene. He is very cool at work. Amar matha gorom hotey parey! I am very particular about certain things. I am opinionated.

And if you fight in real life, does it resemble the ones in Break-up Story? Though the content of the argument will of course be different.

Sohini: In such a situation, Rano just stops talking and stares at me after a while. Meanwhile, I carry on, almost like a lawyer solving a case. Rano is like the obak dorshok wondering what’s happening.

There is a moment like that in the series!

Sohini: Exactly, he looks at me like that during a fight!
Rano: I am like, let it be.

What are the things you discovered about each other in the last few months?

Sohini: Rano is very, very caring. And he will do everything for you, the only thing is that you’ll have to ask him nicely. You cannot boss him around in front of everyone. Then he won’t do it. If you are nice to him, he will do so much more!
Rano: She never holds a grudge. And Sohini lovingly prepares food. She is very generous. She has this great eye for detail and takes care of everything when preparing and serving food.

Earlier Sohini had mentioned that she likes to suddenly take off and travel alone. Sohini, will you do it now?

Sohini: I am conflicted on this. What you think about and what you believe in — preme porley shob guliye jaye! I used to think I would go on trips on my own once a year. But in the last year it has always been about us… not about me. I had planned a Ladakh trip before the lockdown. He said, ‘Hyan jaash.’ The moment he said that I was like, ‘Why did he say that?! I can’t go now.’