In their first film together, they dated the same girl — Parambrata was the ex, Jisshu the current BF. That was in 2006, in Mainak Bhaumik’s Aamra. On August 12, they will be back together again — not as rivals but as friends — as 
Shakespeare’s Hamlet and Horatio in Anjan Dutt’s Hemanta. Parambrata Chattopadhyay and Jisshu Sengupta raise a toast to friendship with sugar-free watermelon juice at Park Plaza. [In their house parties, that’s banned of course! “We both like single malts,” Jisshu lets on.] 

 

You guys were bandmates in Quinine in the 2000s. Did the friendship start back then? 

Param: Jisshu was already a TV superstar (because of Mahaprabhu) when we were in Quinine in 2003 and 2004. We would do music and everything, have fun, go on tours, but there was a distance between us. I called him ‘Jisshuda’ for one or two months! 

Jisshu: And now, we are there at get-togethers at each other’s places, we call each other over for adda or parties. We were colleagues earlier, but in the last two years we have become really good friends. Also, we have started to understand each other’s space, where we are working.  

Is there a sense of competition between you two?

Jisshu: To say there’s no competition between him, Abir (Chatterjee) and me will be silly. Yes, we are competitors in the professional field. But when it comes to friendship, it is different. 

Param: Jisshu is one of those few people who give suggestions before a shot maybe, without any hesitation, which I really like. Other co-actors either play it diplomatically or don’t say anything at all. When I first heard that Jisshu was playing Hirak (Horatio), I was slightly surprised. And then I was bloody happy! 

Jisshu: I know why he was surprised… this is his film, there are no two ways about it. Hemanta belongs to him. Initially I had said I wouldn’t do this film. 

Param: Initially, I didn’t even know that he had been approached. 

Jisshu: I asked Anjanda why he wanted me for the role. I’m already doing his Byomkesh. I loved my character Hirak, but technically I’d be the second lead in the film. Anjanda said that if I didn’t do it, there’s no other person he could turn to. Doing a good role is very important for me and I felt it’s an important film. 

Param: I really like this mature Jisshu. This has happened over the last six-seven years. And he is so sporting. There are certain characters in Shakespeare’s texts... if they are not well sketched out, the main part doesn’t stand. Like Banquo in Macbeth or Bassanio in The Merchant of Venice. And if you look at history, whenever Shakespeare has been adapted for the screen, a less-known actor or a new actor has played the main part. These other parts have been played by very important actors. The lines for which we remember Shakespeare come from these characters. They are almost alter egos of Shakespeare. Horatio is like an alter ego of Hamlet. Which is why I was so happy that Jisshu said yes to the role of Hirak because an important actor had to play this part. 

Both of you get a lot of female attention...

Jisshu: I don’t have that image. He has it (smiles).

Param: Eta chorom baaje katha!

Jisshu: We were in New York recently, and Param amader dhaare pashe ashte deyni (in terms of  attracting female attention)…

Param: Hyat! 

Jisshu: I envy him when it comes to this. He can sing, play the guitar, was good in studies, is well-read… I don’t have these qualities. Maybe I am better-looking than him… 

Param: Jisshu’s female fan following started from his Mahaprabhu days…

Jisshu: Yeah, at that time I used to rule… till about 2004-2005. Then Param appeared on the scene, and ami ekhono lorchhi! 

Any crazy fan moment?

Param: There have been crazy stalkers. There was this girl in Bangalore… it’s kind of spooky actually... she would know where I had gone, which meeting I had attended… she would message, ‘How was the meeting?’ I haven’t yet found out how she found out! Look, we all enjoy this attention. And at one level we also work towards it, right? This is like an acknowledgement of the work that we do. Also, it is very gratifying to see the adulation showered on us by Bengalis living abroad. This wasn’t there 10 years ago. 

Jisshu: When the news came out that I was getting married, I heard that a girl was going around saying that she was getting married to me. Phone calls were made from her house to mine, asking me to speak to her. I got a letter written in blood. I got a little afraid. 

Finally, it got sorted out. 

Now that you have done a film together, what have you found out about each other?

Param: Both of us lost our parents at a young age. And both developed a sense of responsibility. 
Jisshu: There are these small things in life that make you a man from a boy. That sense of responsibility makes you who you are. In that sense, we are in a similar space. We also get to know what home is all about. Since I had got married, the transition was easy for me. Nilanjanaa took over. Param had to do it on his own. And he did it really well. 

Param: Jisshu has gone through a lot in life, ups and downs and stress, but I have never seen him doing anything but smile. Come what may. That’s a great quality. 

Jisshu: We have come a long way. 

In the film, Hemanta is the angsty guy, while Hirak is calm. Do you relate to them at a personal level?

Param: I am a calmer person than Hemanta. I used to be that person. Hemanta is somebody who is not happy with the way the world is. He is bothered about Kashmir, Syria, what’s happening in the cow belt of our country, about the mediocrity all around. And he channelises that through his anger over his uncle. That is the tipping point. Hirak feels all these problems exist but there’s a constitutional solution to all this.   

Jisshu: Hirak is more practical.

Anjan Dutt has played a crucial role in both your lives... 

Param: I have grown up with Anjanda through his songs, and then by working with him. So I was mightily influenced by him. Anjanda is a colourful, high-strung character. He is neurotic and I have that neuroticism in me. So personality-wise there might be a slight similarity. Over the years I have calmed down a lot. But Anjanda hasn’t bothered (both laugh out loud) to calm down in the last 40 years. 

Jisshu and Param: He is a sweetheart. 

Jisshu: He is basically a rock ’n’ roll person. 

Both of you have also done films in Bollywood. Don’t you want to pursue a career there? 

Jisshu: Since some of the directors or the casting directors know us, the offers or auditions come our way… everything is subject to audition there. But I can’t sit in Calcutta and think that I’ll have a blooming career in Bollywood. You have to be there and you have to go and meet people. But I can’t go and live there.   

Param: We have created a space for ourselves here after a lot of hard work, and we are like a family. In Bollywood, you have to start from scratch. Now, my point is, is it really worth it to leave everything behind and start from scratch? 

Jisshu: And trust me, we are as professional as they are. And they can’t imagine how we work within our budgets! Also, I want to do something for Bengali films. 

Param: There’s been a rejuvenation. And we are a part of this.  

Jisshu: We’ll do the Hindi films that come our way and then come back. For me, doing something for Bangla cinema is more important.
 

How important is it for you to branch out?

Jisshu: Param always wanted to get into direction. 

Param: I became serious about my role as an actor after studying filmmaking in England. It was a new start. I have also started my independent film production company, Roadshow Films. Be it production or making a film, we are exploring the possibilities of doing interesting cinema. I am trying to be a producer in a true sense of the term. 

Jisshu: I am interested in direction. Rituda (Rituparno Ghosh) encouraged me to direct and that has stayed with me. So, I hope to direct my first film next year. There are two subjects. One is about relationships. The outline is there, I’ll have to develop the story.

 

 

 

WHAT THEY LOVE

 

Your guitar guru 

Param: Amyt Datta

Your drum guru

Jisshu: Stewart Copeland

 

Fave bands 

P: Beirut, Mumford & Sons, Bon Iver, Chandrabindoo
J: The Police, The Beatles

 

A female pop star you follow on Twitter

P: I follow Norah Jones since I’m a die-hard fan. And Beyonce because I feel she’s intellectually hot 
J: I don’t follow any of them

 

Your anthem song

P: Bird On The Wire by Leonard Cohen
J: The Police and Steely Dan songs bring back so many memories

 

Song you’re listening on loop

P: Shokolei jaane by Anjan Dutt
J: Tomake chhuye dilam by Arijit Singh

 

Your music icons

P: Miles Davis, Django Reinhardt, Cohen, Kumar Gandharva, Ustad Rashid Khan, Subinoy Roy for his inimitable Rabindrasangeet singing
J: Michael Jackson, Elvis Presley

 

A film on music you’d recommend

P: Amadeus. Latcho Drom, a film on gypsy music
J: Fast Forward is a film on dance that I would recommend. I saw it 11 times 

 

What kind of style defines you

P: From music to films, I like the warm, acoustic, unplugged, simple feel about things. I’m an acoustic person. In fashion too
J: Cool and comfortable

 

Luxury buys

P: Some perfumes and an impulsive purchase of shoes. Dior and Chanel Allure, two expensive buys amongst others.Also, Narciso Rodriguez. It’s a new brand but really good 

J: A tuxedo and a black suit from Armani, and a blue suit from Canali 

 

Fave travel destination... 

Param: There are two kinds of travelling. One, where you go on a trip and enjoy the scenic beauty and the quaintness of the place. Or you go to a city and spend some time there, walk the streets, enjoy a drink in a bar. The first one would be Spain and the second London. I like going to the hills in India. I like the tranquillity. 

Jisshu: Whenever I go on a holiday, I just want to sleep. Even if you take me to a beautiful place. But in New York, I walked around a lot. I know the shopping places around Times Square now. I love the street food in Pattaya. Singapore is a nice place. 

One thing in a woman that turns you on…

Param: The fragrance of a woman… I mean the waft, it can be a mix of the perfume, the whole day, the clothes, sweat, everything. 

Jisshu: Which Nilanjanaa finds in me all the time! For me, it’s her sense of humour that turns me on. 

A prized possession...

Param: My support staff at home. And I have a fair collection of films.   

Jisshu: My daughters, Sara and Zara.

One thing you are scared of… 

Param: Ghosts and spiders.

Jisshu: Nothing really. 

How will you react if you run into your ex?

Param: Will say, hi, kemon achhish/achho? I have met so many of my exes. Still do.

Jisshu: There’s no chance of me meeting anyone. Tere paas kya hai? Mere paas Nilanjanaa hai. 

 

Param, when are you getting married? 

Jisshu: Don’t get married. Bhalo achhish…

Param: I haven’t thought about it yet. There’s no deadline. 

 

Pictures: Rashbehari Das
Can professional rivals be good friends like Param and Jisshu? Tell t2@abp.in