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| Konkona as Kadambari on the sets of Suman Ghosh’s Kadambari at Ray Bari in Girish Park. Pictures: Anindya Shankar Ray |
Should I hold a book and stand? Or should I look straight? Is this angle fine?” Konkona Sensharma, dressed as Rabindranath Tagore’s sister-in-law Kadambari Devi, asks director Suman Ghosh. Not just Suman, she goes to DoP Barun Mukherjee for his opinion too, several times before a shot. At lunch break, t2 chatted with Konkona in her vanity van parked in the courtyard of Ray Bari at Girish Park.
You are looking lovely as Kadambari!
Bhalo lagchhe? (Smiles) Amaro khub bhalo lagchhe. Thank you! (Offers a mishti paan and chews one herself)
You are still like a newcomer on the sets — rehearsing, asking for suggestions, giving many takes...
You know, I find it very strange sometimes to think about myself as someone who is experienced and quite senior. But it varies from film to film. In some films I do exactly what my director asks me to do. One or two things I sometimes suggest, like I ask if I do it this way maybe it would be better. Otherwise I like to follow directions... whatever I am told to do... I try and incorporate that, make that as natural as possible. After all, I can’t see the film. I mean one can always look up the monitor after a shot but sometimes it’s too much of a pain, you know... maybe the monitor is too far away, there’s little time between shots.... Directors, cameramen understand it better by looking at the frame. Once you decide to trust them, which is a big thing, then it’s great. I like to follow directions.
You’ve got two Tagore women roles in quick succession — Labanya in Suman Mukhopadhyay’s Shesher Kobita, and now Kadambari...
Ki holo bolo toh hothat?! Amar nijero abak lagchhe. I think it’s a great subject. I’m very excited about Kadambari! Suman sent me the script and along with it I also read Aruna Chakravarti’s book Jorasanko, which really fired my imagination. When I started finding out about Kadambari’s life, I was fascinated and I am really excited to play Kadambari. There’s a lot left to the imagination also. Because we know very little about her life. Everybody agrees that they (Kadambari and Rabindranath) had some kind of a special friendship, she was his muse and whatever. But beyond that it’s basically stringing it on certain incidents and creating the in-betweens... it’s been great fun.
It’s also interesting because I wanted to do a period film. Of course I did Goynar Baksho and Shesher Kobita, but I had wanted to play a real-life character. I mean a biopic because I hadn’t done that. Not that this is a biopic because she is not famous that way, but at least it’s a real-life person. I had never played a real-life person before.
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| Konkona and Koushik on the sets |
What do you like about being a part of period films?
More things to hide behind (laughs). Because I was very tired of playing the sensible, good modern girl. I have played those characters many times. I mean the Life in a ....Metro, Page 3-type characters. I think in period films there’s so much more to it. I just feel that the costumes, the look, there are more things to surround yourself with and that I find very exciting. And honestly, more things to hide behind, really!
Did you have workshops?
No. There aren’t workshops for all films, except Ma’s (Aparna Sen) films where we have extensive workshops. We did script-reading sessions. Even if nobody would be there, Suman and I would sit and read the script together. Then we had a script-reading with Param (Parambrata Chattopadhyay, plays Rabindranath Tagore) and Koushik (Sen, plays Jyotirindranath Tagore). Also with Titas (Bhowmik, plays Gyanodanandini)
What was Suman’s brief to you?
He came down to meet me in Bombay and we had long discussions. He read out the draft. I told him to read Aruna Chakravarti’s book. He told me, ‘Konkona, you’re a little modern, please try and keep the shekele feel... the way Aparna Sen was.’ He meant how Aparna Sen was in her younger days. I am a lot, I guess, ‘modern’ is the word. Alada kore feminine na, I think!
The cast is interesting. Koushik Sen and you were paired together in Iti Mrinalini and Goynar Baksho. With Param, this is your second film after Dosar…
Hmm, but hardly any scenes together. I love working with Koushik. He is such a gentle person, such a good actor, calm, full of suggestions and very relaxed. I have become very easy working with him.
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And Param?
We hardly worked together in Dosar, and it was long time ago. Param was very young then and I too hadn’t done too many films. In this film we could actually interact. Have you seen him as Rabindranath? He’s looking so good! He’s got willowy hair, curls... bhalo lagchhe.
Have you seen any of Suman’s films?
No! Can you believe it? I am very keen to watch Shyamal Uncle Turns Off The Lights. I have heard a lot about it. Also, Nobel Chor because it’s a great concept. But Kadambari, I knew, I didn’t want to pass up the opportunity. I had never imagined I would be offered Kadambari. I wasn’t very aware of Kadambari myself. I have of course heard her name. It was very vague to me.
Aruna Chakravarti’s book really helped me because even though it’s based on historical incidents it has some very nice moments, which helped me understand Kadambari and I really felt for her. She had a lot of problems in her life. First of all, her husband was so much older. He was so friendly with Gyanodanandini, they had been childhood companions. So I think Kadambari always felt a little excluded. She bonded with Rabindranath. They shared a very good friendship but maybe it went into a strange space and then he got married, so I think she felt she lost a companion. She couldn’t have children and in those days, there wasn’t really much for them to do. She had kind of semi-adopted her sister-in-law’s daughter Urmila and then the child died… then Jyotirindra was having an affair... so she felt that she really couldn’t live to her potential and felt excluded from life. Her mind was very fertile, her imagination was very fertile... she was a romantic. Her sense of aesthetics... she enjoyed literature, was very creative... but she never got a sense of fulfilment in anything. And she had been sick a lot.
Isn’t this the same house where a portion of Goynar Baksho was also shot?
Yes, this house is so beautiful. I’m aware of every nook and cranny.
Have you signed any project in Mumbai?
Gour Hari Dastaan is complete. Talks are on to start something in January-February. Since I am doing very few films, it has to be really exciting for me to say ‘yes’. Whenever I come to Calcutta, I try to take out time to meet new directors. There are a few offers, I am still considering which one to do.
Though we don’t see you as much in Bengali films, the Calcutta roads are dotted with your billboards. Do you like doing ad films?
I was always interested in doing ad films but nobody offered me. Suddenly, Shyam Sundar Co. Jewellers and Shalimar offered me and I did.... Specially now that I am trying to do less films because Haroun (son) is still very young. Ad films are done easily and quickly. And if I can spend some time here with Haroun while doing ad films, it’s good. I was here during Durga Puja. I went to Santiniketan with Ma. But this time I won’t be here for long. I am shifting house in Bombay….
