Koel Mallick and Abir Chatterjee in Poriksha, one of the short stories in Chaar

I feel there should be a twist at the end of a short story, it is so effective. Which is why O. Henry and Roald Dahl are so popular. Which is why the transition from literature to screen is so effective,” smiles Sandip Ray, while talking about his new film Chaar, based on four short stories — Satyajit Ray’s Kaagtarua and Dui Bondhu, Parashuram’s Boteshwarer Abodan and Saradindu Bandopadhyay’s Poriksha. And “there’s a twist” in all the four stories of Chaar, which releases on June 13. A t2 chat with Sandip Ray...

Do you get the Friday jitters?

That happens every time (smiles). But the heartening thing is that the audiences are watching all kinds of films. Chaar is an experiment. Jekhane Bhooter Bhoy (his previous film) had three stories and there was a connecting thread. There’s no connectivity as such in Chaar. The four stories are different from each other, charte mejajer golpo! So I’m getting those jitters (smiles). Since Jekhane Bhooter Bhoy was quite successful, I see positive signs.... I’m hopeful. We have tried to give four different looks to the stories. So it’ll be interesting visually. Only a human element or a human touch ties the four stories together.

Why make a film with four short stories?

Maybe I wouldn’t have thought about it if Jekhane Bhooter Bhoy hadn’t been successful. Abir (Chatterjee) was doing the third Bomkesh film, and we were waiting to start Badshahi Angti with Abir as Feluda. So there’s a waiting period. I had told Abir that he couldn’t do anymore Bomkesh films if he did Feluda. One good thing was during the making of Jekhane Bhooter Bhoy I had read a lot of short stories, and I found a few stories really interesting. I decided on the four stories then.

How did you pick the stories?

I wanted four totally different stories, with a distinct look and feel. I was especially excited with Poriksha since the treatment is very different. It’s done in black and white in the old format… so the edit pattern, look, everything is very ’40s and ’50s. The story takes place just before Independence. It’s a romantic story with a twist. So I wanted to give it a purono Bangla chhobir mejaj! Like a chamber piece.

Sandip Ray. Picture: Pabitra Das

Do you work differently when you are making short films? Which one do you enjoy more?

I enjoy both, but when you are making short films there is a frequent change of taste. And people are now warming to different kinds of films…. and our short stories are so rich. It’s fun, and exciting to assemble an interesting cast. When you are filming short stories, there is so much variety. The set, locale, cast, mood, temperament... everything changes.

How did you go about filming your father’s story Kaagtarua?

Location plays an important part in Kaagtarua. It’s a character. If we didn’t get a proper location, we would have dropped the story. But we got a superb location near Bolpur. We wanted a desolate but pretty landscape, which we got! And then in this story there’s no dialogue for a long period. So that was visually challenging. Nature plays an important part during shoots. When we went to shoot in Bolpur, a storm had hit the place. It was magnificent! We got drenched and had to rush back to our cars. We were ready for showers since we were shooting in August. But that effect was extraordinary. It would have been nice if we could use it in the film (smiles).

All the stories have an element of mystery...

The stories have been selected and presented keeping that in mind. In most of my father’s short stories the protagonist is a loner from a middle-class background. And if something interesting happens to an ordinary person, people can identify with it.

How did you deal with the supernatural in Kaagtarua?

I’ve kept it simple. All four stories are simply told. I feel the best way to go about it is to treat it simply, instead of going too hi-tech. And when we have someone like Saswata Chatterjee, then all is sorted on the acting front! Saswata is a delight to work with. He can do everything... he is so versatile, competent. He is magnificent. And this time there are lots of women in Chaar (grins)! So I’m guessing no one will complain about not being featured in my films!

They would do that?

They would often say, “There’s no point in asking you!” (laughs out loud). Now they are happy.

How was it working with Abir?

For Abir, acting in Chaar was more like a screen-test before Feluda. I had wanted that to happen. I wanted him to work with us… so that he gets to know our system. We work slightly differently. There is good homework. And the work happens quickly. Amader technique ta guchhano. And there is flexibility (during shoot). I have been following this method since the 1980s. I feel this is the most dependable technique. Everybody then knows what we want. It’s so economical. So I felt he should get to know our unit better. And Abir is looking good as Feluda in Badshahi Angti.

When do you usually write your scripts?

It’s always difficult to start. The first page is always tough. But once you start, the ball starts rolling. I can write anytime... in the morning or throughout the day. But I feel the best time to write is at night. We are turning into vampires (laughs).

What’s your take on the film industry?

The work culture is better, there is a good infrastructure in place, we have a lot of equipment… we are getting self-sufficient. It’s a good sign that so many different films are being made. Since we are making more films, we need more theatres. And the other difference is that earlier a film would often pick up at the box office after one or two weeks by word-of-mouth publicity. The film would go on to become a hit. But now that time is not being given to such films. Which is a pity. Now, it’s more like, everything has to happen in the first two weeks, or else you are gone. This format is slightly problematic. Given some time I feel a few good films could have worked at the box office. I have seen good films taken off the theatres just as they were picking up.

How is Badshahi Angti shaping up?

The film is looking really good. We shot in Lucknow. We had gone to Lucknow in the mid-1970s to shoot (Satyajit Ray’s) Shatranj Ke Khilari. I was a part of the crew. Lucknow has changed. Fortunately, old Lucknow is still the same. That charm is still there. The heritage sites are untouched and the lanes are fascinating. But it’s really crowded now. We couldn’t shoot on a few locations because they were not visually appealing. In the story, Feluda rides a tonga. First of all, there’s no tonga now, except in front of heritage sites. But I knew we couldn’t do without tongas. So we have used tongas. The food is still the same. The shoot was great fun but very hectic. Badshahi Angti releases in December.

Your first film Phatikchand came out in 1983. You have been making films for three decades now. Do you look back on your career?

It’s not the time yet. I know what worked and what didn’t. I really want to do a Shanku film. We are trying to start the pre-production of the Shanku film by the end of this year. Dhritiman Chatterji is playing Shanku. We are yet to decide on the story.

Which is your favourite Sandip Ray film? Tell t2@abp.in