He is a high-flying executive in a multinational bank. She is a scientist in a university laboratory. They meet on the Internet. What happens next in Suman Ghosh’s new film Mi Amor (My Love) starring Parambrata Chattopadhyay and Raima Sen? A t2 chat with Ghosh over email before he starts shooting in the first week of May in Miami...

Is the story — an executive and a scientist meeting on the Internet — based on a real-life incident?

No, it’s completely fictional. But as with any story, subconsciously many things filter into the thought process. The story starts with that [the meeting] and from a romantic narrative, it turns into an examination of identity. It unmasks a clash between physicality and psychology of a relationship on the brink of implosion. 

How did you hit upon this idea?

You see, pure love stories such as Before Sunrise, Before Sunset, 500 Days of Summer have always enchanted me. So I was looking forward to writing a romantic tale for many years. But I also wanted a deeper examination of relationships through that. The issues involving the emotional content in a relationship, the physical aspect and, finally, one’s true identity in a relationship intrigue me. So, in my story there is a twist which unmasks and unravels many basic tenets of a love affair which forces the main protagonists to re-examine themselves. 

Why cast Parambrata and Raima?

I have worked with Param in Kadambari and it was a fantastic experience. First of all, we get along very well. He is a guy with varied interests and that makes working so much fun. After all, when working on a film you spend so much time with the main cast and crew that it better be a fun experience. Param has stayed at my place in Miami before and my family loved him too. My two daughters Maya (4) and Leela (2) adore him. 

And I think he is a terrific actor. Since the last four-five years, he has had a major transformation as an actor. I loved him in Srijit’s (Mukherji) Hemlock Society and ever since he has essayed memorable roles — Kahaani, Apur Panchali,  Chotushkone are a few. I think he is the right confluence of the cerebral and the spontaneous in an actor. 

Raima Sen has an appeal which is unparalleled. This is the first time I am working with her and I am really looking forward to it. The Param-Raima pairing also has a huge attraction. Staying abroad and having friends all over the world, I have noticed that amongst the Bengali diaspora Param, Abir and Raima are the ones people know and crave for in Bengali films.

You’ll be venturing into new territory with this love story...

I have typically tried to change the genre and subjects of my movies. I guess I want to live the time and era of my films, and through that I derive a vicarious pleasure. Last couple of years, I was living in 19th century Bengal (with Kadambari) and then dealing with end-of-life issues (in Peace Haven) and now a love story in Miami. A total contrast I agree, but I thoroughly enjoy these escapades. 

Why shoot Mi Amor (My Love) in Miami?

I have lived in the US for 20 years but I am still very much a Bengali. Hence, all my ideas are typically based in Calcutta. People in the US have requested me to make a film based in the US and I have often received offers on that. But only when something emerges intrinsically, will I do it. Yes, Miami is gorgeous but I need that to be related to the script. So this film uses Miami organically in the story. And since I have lived in Miami for the last 10 years, I know the place well enough to use aspects of it appropriately in the narrative.

You are planning to release the film online. Why?

There is a huge worldwide audience who are starved of Bengali films. They mostly watch pirated copies on the Internet. Monetising even a fraction of that audience can make a landscape change in the economics of Bengali films. 

You can only monetise that audience if you have simultaneous theatrical and online releases, as many films are being released here in the US. Or, in the US Netflix is releasing just online worldwide for many films. Beasts of No Nation was the first and now they are acquiring films from major film festivals too. Q’s Brahman Naman is also being released worldwide online on Netflix. We need to create such a platform for Bengali films desperately, as Netflix and Amazon have no incentive to particularly target the Bengali audience. We need a platform to channelise the audience worldwide for Bengali films. Hence, my film will be released initially on Bongflix with that precise aim. 

How will Mi Amor (My Love) get a wider release later?

University of Miami is partnering with us in the project. That opened up new vistas. Given that the film is mainly in English, we are getting interests from many Hollywood distribution agencies after they got to know the story and the milieu. 

In fact, they are positioning it as a Bengali-centric film yet targeted at a global audience. This is in line with some of today’s mainstream Hollywood movies such as Meet The Patels (Hindi-English) and Labyrinth of Lies (German-English). 

So after an initial online launch, the film will be available for worldwide exploitation through traditional channels in India and abroad. 

Where will you shoot in Miami? 

The first thing which comes to mind is South Beach. But there is so much more to the city than that. The Art Deco district is amazing. There is a huge Cuban population here. So when you go to a place like Little Havana, it’s a total Cuban atmosphere. The cafes, the restaurant, the shops — everything. And then there is of course the Everglades — the vast stretch of tropical wetlands. So there is a lot of variety. I have an excellent crew out here but I must say I am missing my Calcutta crew very much. I have done six films with them and we have become a family. 

How would you describe the rhythm of Miami? 

The city is very vibrant. It’s like a fashion capital. But there are places which are very vintage too. Quaint bars and localities are a wonderful contrast to the glitter and glamour of some other parts. Miami being the gateway to Latin America has a lot of Latin influence which I like.

Will you be doing workshops with Param and Raima?

No. I don’t have workshops for any of my films. I want to be on the same page as the actors so that the performance can be in unison with what the director thinks. So I will have some sessions with both of them and my other main actors who are from here.  

Arindam Chatterjee
Do Param and Raima have the best on-screen chemistry in Tollywood? Tell t2@abp.in