Anwesha: I am nervous about doing this…

Swastika: Why are you nervous? I am sure you would be rattling off questions if it were Varun Dhawan!

A: I would have fainted. Okay, first we’ll do the serious stuff. You studied history in college, so why did you get into acting instead of studying?

S: I was in first year (Jadavpur University) when I started working. It just happened. 
One of our batchmates’ father was a director. At that time, six or seven of us from the history department were working in the same serial (Debdasi). It was a good way to earn pocket money. It was fun because a whole bunch of history students were playing freedom fighters in the serial. None of us were serious about it. They wanted a fresh face and I had the ‘Santu Mukherjee’s daughter’ tag.... I used to be so bad at it! I used to be scolded by so many directors. Partha Sen was the first director I did a telefilm with, and he used to tear his hair out.... Anyway, I didn’t have to ask Ma for money for auto fare and eating at the canteen and all that. Then Mani (Anwesha) was born and I wanted to get things for her with my own money. But I always wanted to study. I was a good student.

A: If you have the chance to do something other than acting, what would it be?

S: I’d like to be a make-up artist. Not many know that with the exception of Detective Byomkesh Bakshy!, I have done my make-up for all my films including Anubrata Bhalo Acho? and Bhooter Bhobishyot. 

A: Not academics?

S: I don’t think so. Maybe I could have worked in t2! I like writing for t2. I think that will be my future, you know in 10 years time. 

A: Make that five. By then she’ll be old!

S: (Laughs) Stop it!

A: Okay, okay. Your first scene, do you remember what it was?

S: I did this film called Hemanter Pakhi, which was my first interaction with the camera. Baba was the hero and Tanusree (Shankar) Pishi was the heroine. I was playing a first-year student of Jadavpur University. And the first shot I gave was one where my boyfriend had ditched me. The dialogue was, ‘He is not taking my calls’. 

A: Wasn’t that the first shot I gave for Take One?

S: It was the first line you told me, ‘Why are you dating that guy? I don’t like him.’ In real life if I am dating any guy he has to be approved by Mani, my sister, my hairdressers. If I jokingly mention that somebody is good-looking, my hairdresser will come back the next day having gathered information and say ‘this will not work’. Too many people I need approval from.

A: What was it like, facing the camera for the first time?

S: I was trembling. I had no idea what I was supposed to do. I had a close-up shot and the director (Urmi Chakraborty) told me to look at the chair and say my dialogue, and I was like how can I look at a chair and talk? Then Tanusree Pishi came and sat in the chair... it was so kind of her. Now I can look anywhere and give a shot. I still have the Rs 700 cheque that they gave me. 

A: Would you say acting is a difficult profession?

S: Of course it is. In other professions you are specialised in the field you are working in. In acting, you are not specialised in a particular kind of character. You may be a villain, a mother, a doctor... you maybe someone who is 50 years old and you have to do it convincingly. 

Also, I think it is a ruthless profession. Maybe you have an ailing mother or father, and if you are committed you have to go for the shoot and maybe you’ll have to do a very fun scene where you have to laugh a lot. It doesn’t matter, you have to do it. If you are unwell, you don’t get leave. If the director is not there the assistant director is there, if the hairdresser is not there the assistant hairdresser is there. In every field associated with this profession there can be a backup, but if the actor doesn’t turn up the shoot will get cancelled. And the most difficult bit is having 60 people looking at you while you are doing your work, especially if it involves getting physical with a man. 

A: What do you think is the biggest challenge in acting?

S: I think it’s doing a comic role. People think doing emotional scenes or sex scenes is difficult but I think because in comedy the timing is so important, that if you don’t have it, the audience will not react. It is also difficult to keep a straight face while saying ridiculous dialogues. 

A: Was there a lot of pressure on you when you started? Because Baba (grandfather Santu Mukherjee) was such a big actor...

S: Yes. People would come to the floor to check how Santu Mukherjee’s daughter was doing. That’s when I started to take this profession seriously. 

A: If your daughter wanted to join the same industry?

S: No. No. No. No. 

A: But why?!

S: Things in the profession are much more complicated now. A lot of people thought that after Take One my daughter would be entering the profession but both Mainak (Bhaumik, the director of Take One) and me were adamant about it. 

A: I remember telling you that I wanted to take up performing arts as a course abroad and you were like ‘no, not at all’.... I remember telling you that I did not like the city and there was nothing happening here…

S: Which is how she feels every time there is a fight in school. 

A: Mom!

S: One fight in the school with people who are important and she wants to leave the city. 

A: Would you like to work in Bollywood or Hollywood? Why?

S: Of course. Bollywood for Salman Khan, Hollywood for James Spader. Yes, I’ve been watching The Blacklist. 

A: All thanks to me. 

S: I just want to spend the rest of my life with Raymond Reddington (played by Spader).

A: Get killed also!

S: He’ll protect me.

A: I knoooowww! Okay, enough about work. Now some ‘me’-related stuff.

S: Oh no!

 

Mom and me

A: So, did you want a son or a daughter? I know Mammam (grandmother) wanted a son and Baba wanted a daughter. And Mimi (aunt Ajopa) also wanted a daughter.

S: Ya, so many application forms! I wanted a son.

A: Mooommmm! This is why she doesn’t love me!

S: One slap! But I’m happy my sister has a son. 

A: That is why all the time she’s with him. She has more pictures with him on Instagram than she has with me. 

S: She counts.

A: You are my mother, don’t forget.

S: You will not let me forget!

A: So what were your feelings when you first held me?

S: I was crying, I was just so happy to see her. She was underweight and premature, which why she still has some loose screws in her head. I remember thinking, will she ever grow? Their hands and feet are so small and you just panic thinking how you are ever going to bring them up. And I was so young then.

A: What kind of a mother would you call yourself?

S: Cool. (Anwesha makes a face.) What answer did you expect? 

A: A horrible, uncaring mother (laughs). You are not concerned about me.

S: Ha! What I should be concerned about is also a pick-and-choose policy for her. I should be concerned about…

A: Mooomm, no. Keep quiet.

S: See? Now she is going to shun this topic. You know there are these phone calls at midnight and you never know till what time they will go on. If I’m a concerned mother I’ll want my baby to go off to sleep by 11pm. You can’t make plans for the weekend and say ‘it is the weekend, mom’. I would not allow this. All this she won’t want. 

A: Okay. This is not good.

S: Do you want me to elaborate?

A: No, no. We are cool. Next question! What is the best moment you’ve spent with your daughter?

S: I think all the times that we have gone on vacations together. Universal Studios, the cruise and Scotland.

A: Yep, those are my best moments too. And what is your worst? Don’t tell me you don’t have any! 

S: Wait, I have tons! You are so lazy, you will never finish your schoolwork on time and then I have to sit through the night. And I hate running after her and telling her to study. I go to work, come back and find her watching Pretty Little Liars. And she is always responding with, ‘I’ve just turned the TV on’. 

A: Are siblings a boon or a bane?

S: Boon, definitely. You grow up with your best friend.

A: Don’t you and Mimi have like boyfriend rivalry? 

S: Never!

A: You are lucky. Okay, so with your busy schedule, do you make time for your family? (Laughs)

S: One slap I will give you. That is my answer. 

A: Who is your favourite person in the family apart from yourself? And you can’t say Sheru, Bhoda and Chintu (the dogs) because I know you’ll choose them.

S: Anima, my maid. I was partially blind without her before Ma passed away, now I am completely dependent on her. If I see her in the morning I know I’m sorted, if I don’t my day is bad. 

A: One advice for your daughter that is not ‘you must study’.

S: Do some exercise.

A: That is so rude! Okay, what advice will you give me when I don’t need to exercise any more?

S: Don’t date guys for half-a-week.

A: So rude!

S: She is a good daughter. I really don’t need to give her grave advice. 

RAPID FIRE

A: Your favourite movie?
S: The Sound of Music and Goopy Gyne Bagha Byne.
A: Favourite director?
S: Michel Gondry.
A: Favourite song?
S: Tumi je amar from Harano Sur.
A: Favourite singer?
S: Cliff Richard.
A: Who?
S: See this is what happens when you listen to songs that go ‘Eat my gasoline’.
A: It is Fire Meet Gasoline, mom. It’s Sia!
S: I don’t understand what they sing.
A: Okay, your favourite role?
S: I have to mention two— Kodolibala in Bhooter Bhobishyot and Doel Mitra in Take One. 
A: Favourite holiday destination?
S: Edinburgh.
A: Favourite pastime?
S: Watching How To Get Away With Murder.
A: Favourite author? Jeffrey Archer?
S: No. It is Amitav Ghosh.
A: Favourite food?
S: Hummus and pitta, and KFC’s Hot Wings.
A: All-time favourite actor?
S: Uttam Kumar.
A: All-time favourite actress?
S: Julia Roberts.
A: Okay, we are done.
S: I am not going to talk to you for the next one year.
A: But why? 
S: What else is left to talk about?

 

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