Actress Chitrangada Satarupa talks in whispers now. With months-old Inca sleeping by her side most of the time, the new mother (Chitrangada and Sambit Chatterjee became parents in March) has become used to hushed excitement. Like when she looks back at her time shooting with Nawazuddin Siddiqui. The actor whom she has idolised most of her adult life, even before she moved to Mumbai to pursue acting. Main Actor Nahin Hoon, directed by Aditya Kripalani, was released a couple of months ago and stars Chitrangada alongside Nawazuddin in the lead roles. Chitrangada plays Mouni, a struggling yet talented actress, a purist, whose professional unfulfillment has left her bitter. Nawazuddin plays Adnan Baig, a retired banker, who meets Mouni at a chance online audition and starts taking acting lessons from her. The film captures their interaction over a day, with Mouni in Mumbai and Adnan in Frankfurt communicating via smartphones.
At just over two hours, Main Actor Nahin Hoon is a searing portrayal of childhood trauma, frustration, a seething rage against life’s unfairness, quiet acceptance and probable redemption. Chitrangada’s portrayal of Mouni, who has a lashing tongue, turns her back on the world and seeks refuge in alcohol, is brilliant.
Chitrangada Satarupa and Bimal Giri in 'Onekdin Por'
“Hands-down, this is the most challenging role both in terms of the format and also the character. It’s also not my normal energy. My energy is medium-paced. Mouni has a high rhythm. This was also the most special character. Whatever characters I have played so far have been morally correct and are people you would love. Mouni is problematic at various levels. She is so wounded that she doesn’t realise that she is hurting others. So, playing her was challenging and fun. How do you truthfully play a complex character who can be dislikable? We all want to play characters that the audience will root for,” says Chitrangada.
She says the film has been a milestone in her life. “How the world views it is very different. But for me, this has been like a gift in every sense. It is a great character to play. I know that for the rest of my life, she will be one of the best characters. As of now, she is my number one,” she smiles.
Mouni differs from Chitrangada in many ways. Yet, somewhere, there is a connection. Chitrangada has never let negativity seep in. She has kept at her craft quietly. “In some aspects, I identify with her feelings as an artiste, but I haven’t let myself reach such a stage where I’ll become bitter. I’ve seen people in my industry, both in Mumbai and Calcutta, and also people who couldn’t make it in the industry ever. They might not have become alcoholics. Or, they might have. I don’t know, but I have seen glimpses of what I don’t want to become. No one forced me to work only in independent and truthful films. That’s my choice. And I have that clarity due to my upbringing and surroundings. Had I not tamed it, what would have happened? Those thoughts are important when developing a character. By putting together various pieces, I created Mouni. The script was well-written and structured. I just had to include all these flavours that I had personally seen and experienced,” she adds.
Sharing screen space with Nawazuddin Siddiqui in 'Main Actor Nahin Hoon' was a priceless experience for Chitrangada
Chitrangada met Nawazuddin online for the first time during their introductory shot. “I couldn’t sleep the night before. I was hoping to get over this whole fangirl personality. I couldn’t believe that I would be working with Nawaz sir, especially with so much attitude. The moment Aditya said cut, I was like ‘Hello sir, namaste, main aapki fan hoon, main aisi bilkul nahin hoon!’” she laughs.
She says she realised that you can be yourself with Nawazuddin. “He doesn’t take himself so seriously that you have to be his yes-man,” says Chitrangada. She also learnt how he doesn’t give any suggestions. “You do your own thing. There is a director to show you,” she smiles.
There is, of course, a lot to learn from him as an actor, like his improvisations and mannerisms. “I had only heard and seen. I literally experienced it. Acting with Nawazuddin Siddiqui is a big achievement for me. It is not just acting. Both characters are equal in the film. It is a performance-driven character. It is not just sharing the screen with Nawazuddin Siddiqui. It is literally like a proper jam with another actor. We are playing a good match. So, this jugalbandi is a big opportunity that this film has given me,” looks back Chitrangada. Nawazuddin’s effusive praise has also filled her heart.
The film premiered at San Jose, at Cinequest. Chitrangada got her Best Actress award at the DC South Asian Film Festival in Washington, D.C. Nawazuddin got the Best Actor award at the New York Indian Film Festival. It screened at the Bradford International Film Festival in the UK before its UK release. It was also showcased at the Asian Film Festival in Barcelona, followed by Vancouver and India.
“The day I got my award in D.C., the next day I figured that I was pregnant!” smiles Chitrangada.
Motherhood is definitely challenging but also a learning process, says Chitrangada. “Your emotions change overnight. The first few weeks, I would just cry because obviously, my hormones had suddenly dropped. But I would cry, just looking at him, thinking, ‘Oh my God, this is my creation, my baby. One day, he will grow up.’ That’s when I would cry. Sambit is a lovely dad,” she smiles.
She shot her latest Bengali release, Onekdin Por, while she was pregnant. The last time before that she had shot in Bengali was in 2021, for Zee 5’s web series Mukti, which starred Ritwick Chakraborty and Arjun Chakrabarty and was set in pre-Independence India.
Onekdin Por has been directed by Saurav Palodhi, and the teaser has a bittersweet romance. Chitrangada plays Mallika, a caregiver for a group of elderly friends. “It involves many intertwined stories, and my character is linked to all of them. It’s an amalgamation of various moments, feelings, and relationships, but it contains a story that people will experience through the journey once they see it. It is a film to experience and feel. This is Saurav’s way of saying that we can live as a community and stop being lonely if we give it a chance,” says Chitrangada.
Working with Saurav has been seamless. “It’s always good to work with a director who knows what he wants. Everything is very clear in his head. He is an extremely cool director, which is great. I love it when people are very cool. He gets what he wants and creates an environment and ambience that allows him to do it in one, two, or three takes. All the actors who have worked are big names in theatre. Working with theatre actors is such a joy. Your scenes are done quickly. Everybody is playing around with their diction, mannerisms and improvisation,” says Chitrangada.
Onekdin Por is running in theatres now.
Chitrangada also has a special word for her Main Actor Nahin Hoon director Aditya, with whom she has made three more films — Tikli & Laxmi Bomb, Devi Aur Hero and Tottaa Pataaka Item Maal. “I will always be grateful to him, and have some faith in fairness in this industry. Initially, other co-producers were expected, but they wanted certain names for Mouni. Aditya had already selected me in his head. When the two producers started giving their terms and conditions, he responded, ‘No, I will produce it myself because I want the cast a certain way.’ He told me, ‘You gave such a good audition. Why would I take that away from you just because I am getting some external support? I want to make the film in my own way.’”
