In Kiriti O Kalo Bhromor (2016), Kiriti (Indraneil Sengupta) had got into a battle of wits with antagonist Kalo Bhromor (Koushik Sen). Now, Nilacholey Kiriti sees the sleuth neck-deep in a mysterious turn of events in Puri. The key players — Indraneil, Rituparna Sengupta, Arunima Ghosh and director Anindya Bikas Datta — got together at Camellia’s Calcutta Retro restaurant, Gariahat Mall, for a chat with t2...

Rituparna, do you feel the roles for women in detective films here have come of age?

Rituparna: Both the characters  (played by Rituparna and Arunima) are strong enough. The suspense revolves around my character, Runa Sanyal. Though this is a Kiriti film, Runa has quite a bit to do in it. I love to watch thrillers, and this film has a beautiful story. I am always looking for something that I have not done before, something which I have not explored. 
Arunima: Krishna (Arunima plays Kiriti’s wife) is really active here. 
Anindya: I felt Ritu was the perfect choice to bring out the shades in Runa Sanyal. The scale of the film, its look and feel is richer now. 

Indraneil, what were your thoughts going into the second  Kiriti film?

Indraneil: The mystery gets deeper in this one. The revelation is more interesting here and the story has a lot of characters. I had done all the homework and preparation for the first film. We just needed to carry it forward in the second film. I was well-equipped.

Did you read the story before the shoot?

Indraneil: Not this one. I had read the story of the first one to understand what the character is actually like. Otherwise I always rely on the script. If I do a movie that is based on literature, I try to stick to the script. 
Rituparna: I didn’t read the book. My role was really well-written and I could get a feel of the character in every line.  

Do you all watch a lot of thrillers? 

Indraneil: Yeah, I like Breaking Bad, House of Cards, Game of Thrones. I hardly get time to watch Bengali films... I have not watched 70 per cent of my films only! I try to catch the premiere shows.    
Arunima: I used to follow Two and a Half Men. 
Rituparna: Sex and the City is a favourite of mine, along with F.R.I.E.N.D.S.

Nilacholey Kiriti is set in Puri. Did you get to discover something new while shooting there?

Anindya: This film sees Kiriti in Puri on his honeymoon. Things go wrong and he finds himself involved in the case. Puri is a popular holiday destination, and the thriller is a fave genre among Bengalis, and both have come together in this film. It’s a great combination.  
Rituparna: We were shooting in a hotel and we could see the sea from there. It was mesmerising. Usually we shoot song-and-dance scenes by the sea in Puri. I have memories of running on the beach and then going into the water for shoots. But this film has explored the nooks and corners of Puri. The whole thrill was there and I just loved it. 
Indraneil: It was hot but we shot in really nice locations. 
Arunima: On one of the shoot days, the sun was beating down on us, it was around 11am, and the irony was that I had to say lines like, ‘See, how beautiful this place is!’ 
Indraneil: I really liked the Chandrabhaga beach. It was not crowded at all. It was empty, just the way I like it. 
Arunima: It was very clean too.
Indraneil: The whole place is so picturesque. 
Rituparna: But I didn’t have any time to explore the place after the shoot. The schedule was so tight. 

Pictures: Pabitra Das