Rahul Bose as Snehamoy in The Japanese Wife, which releases on April 9

What do you play in The Japanese Wife?

I play Snehamoy, a village boy who grows up in the Sunderbans. He is very shy, gentle and contented... he doesn’t have any friends. He lives with his aunt (Moushumi Chatterjee) and from the age of 16, he writes letters to a Japanese girl, Miyage (Chigusa Takaku), who lives in a village in Japan. And in about four-five years, he tells Miyage that since he’s got the job of a math teacher in a primary school, his aunt wants him to get married. Miyage writes back saying that she could marry him. She asks him to send sindoor and shakha, and promises to send him the Japanese (wedding) ring. So, he decides to marry her and this introvert boy holds on to his idea of loyalty, marriage, duty and love for 17 years. Then one day into his life comes a young widow, Sandhya (Raima Sen), with a child, and he realises that now there’s somebody else in his life. And because he is so old-fashioned, he thinks it’s a big thing and he doesn’t like to look at her because he is scared of his wife who might think he is unfaithful!

You have never played a character like this before...

I have never played a rural character in my life. The rural Bengali dialect, the rural Bengali speaking in English, the fact that Snehamoy wears dhoti, shirt, kurta and rides a bicycle and carries a chhata (umbrella). All these were completely alien to me. So, there’s no reason why Aparna (Sen) should have cast me. When Konkona (Sensharma) heard that I had been cast, she told her mother that it would be a disaster! ‘This guy will never be able to do it,’ she said. But later, when Konkona saw the film, she thought I was wonderful.... There will be my career and then there will be The Japanese Wife. This is the reason why I am bending over backward and doing somersaults for this film. I do believe that it’s going to be one of those moments. This will be the most precious character of my life.

What kind of effort did you put in to become Snehamoy?

Well, I think I was never more terrified of doing a film! I went to the Sunderbans before I did this film. I saw the life there, the van rickshaws, the food, the way they live... I met schoolmasters, I saw the children. Apart from trying to internalise the character, I was watching Bengali films... rural Bengali characters. Also, understanding the dialect. It took me a month to just dub for the film. Normally, dubbing takes four-five days. So, it was absolutely killing!

What kind of a rapport do you share with Aparna?

We share deep respect, love and trust. It’s the easiest way I can put it. We squabble and we fight but there’s a deep respect.

Aparna is known to act and show her actors. Does it apply to you too?

No. I hate that and she doesn’t do that with me. She knows I can’t bear it. See, if you are casting me then I am supposed to do something, isn’t it? I can’t copy others. I always listen to my directors, but then I do what I believe my character should do. I am not a mimic. I am not a monkey!

What other Tolly films are you doing?

I am doing Tony’s (Aniruddha Roy Chowdhury) next. I have four releases coming up. The Japanese Wife apart, there’s Kuch Love Jaisa, Fired and The Whisperers.

Which is your favourite Rahul Bose character?
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