Parambrata, Rituparna and Tapas in North Bengal

Film-maker Anjan Das is back home after shooting a cat-and-mouse chase between Parambrata Chatterjee and Rituparna Sengupta in the rocky-and-riverine Dooars. He tells t2 about the places and people that play key roles in the thriller called Swarger Niche Manush...

How does north Bengal feature in the film?

The story of Swarger Niche Manush (written by Sunil Gangopadhyay) demands various locations. Tapas (Pal) and Rituparna are a couple in the film. They head for the hills to visit a temple for which they have to walk through the jungle, cross rivers and climb mountains. So we chose around eight locations. They are very eye-catching.

Where all did you shoot?

We shot in Gorumara, Samsing Fari, near the Bindu river in Jaldhaka, Sultaneykhola, Lataguri, Chapramari and Rocky Island. Most of these locations had never been explored on screen before. We would shoot from five in the morning till sundown everyday.

We were a huge 65-member team. We stayed in a bungalow in the Gorumara forest, while Rituparna, Tapas and Parambrata put up in a bungalow near the Murti river.

What scenes did you shoot there?

More than half the film has been shot outdoor in north Bengal, including the climax scene where Parambrata tries to come physically close to Rituparna. It’s like a cat-and-mouse chase; Parambrata chases Rituparna and she tries to flee every time. This particular sequence was shot on Rocky Island. It’s a rough terrain strewn with pebbles and rocks. We had a lot of trouble reaching the spot. It was very steep. The hill overlooks a river.... There’s a lot of dialogue between the two. The scene shot here has a lot of psychological undercurrents between the two characters.

Rituparna looks stunning in a flaming red sari. Was that a deliberate choice?

I wanted to make Rituparna look very desirable and passionate and that’s why I chose red for her. Besides, the trees in Chapramari forest were devoid of leaves. So I thought the background would be in sharp contrast to the colour of her sari.

What’s the reason behind Parambrata’s dishevelled look?

It was important to change Param’s look. He plays Ipshito, someone who is very uncouth, who leaves home and joins a snake charmer. He lives alone in a small wooden hut on a hill. To make the character look real I gave Param a curly wig. He’s also got a tan.

How would you define Swarger Niche Manush?

It’s a thriller. The pace is fast, quite unlike my previous films (Saanjhbatir Rupkathara, Iti Srikanta, Faltu and Jara Brishtite Bhijechhilo) which were a little slow and tranquil. Even the shot-taking in Swarger Niche Manush is very simple. None of the scenes has double meanings, though there’s a lot of subtlety. It’s perhaps my first commercial film. It should be ready for release by September.