Actress Ishaa Saha went into flashback mode as she walked into 6 Ballygunge Place one September evening. “We were here a few months ago shooting a scene for the film. There was food laid out in front of us here… rice, mutton kosha,” said Ishaa. “But we could not eat it. We ate whatever little the scene allowed us, in an uncertain way,” chipped in co-actor Aditya Sengupta. Directed by Anindya Chattopadhyay, Projapoti Biskut depicts the challenges a married couple (Aditya and Ishaa) face in a middle-class household. A t2 chat with Aditya and Ishaa over Gandhoraj Chicken, Maachher Chop and Gandhoraj Ghol…
So what was this scene?
Aditya: It was a dinner scene and we were discussing an important decision that we were about to take. We were there to confirm that.
Ishaa: It was in the morning, around 8am or 9am. There was all this food but finally, we ended up having only mishti doi.
Aditya: I did not have it. Ami shooting er shomoy khetey bhoy pai…. I had food poisoning for three days and fever during this shoot… I went off to sleep in a hotel room in Diamond Harbour.
How was your first film experience?
Ishaa: Life has changed completely (laughs). It’s really exciting and I am enjoying it.
Aditya: For me, it’s a little different (Aditya has done bit roles in films). I have worked mostly behind the camera. I have assisted directors. My interests lie in script writing and direction. After completing Mass Communication from St. Xavier’s, I went to State University of New York and then to Cambridge School of Art… I did my masters in film direction from there.
Ishaa: I graduated from Surendranath Law College. No one from my family was ever connected with the film industry. They didn’t know much about it. Our family is mostly into business. I have never acted on a school stage. I never dreamt of becoming an actress. After LLB, my only dream was to sit for the judge’s exam. During my internship in high court, I got a chance to audition. I was told to say whatever I felt. I was very scared but went for it since it was a new experience for me. I started thinking seriously about starting practice in Bankshall court. And in the middle of that seriousness, I got a call again, informing me that I was selected. For the first four days of a workshop, I stayed in a corner. I did not know what to do. On the fourth day I did a small skit and hearing the workshop supervisor’s enthusiastic clapping, I started crying. After completing the whole workshop, I was kicked. Before this I did not know how to cry and laugh. Finally I realised I have to do this because acting gives me the opportunity to express myself. I had completed five years of LLB and obviously my family members did ask a few questions like why did I want to pursue acting. I was very serious about my studies. Soon the mega serial (Jhanjh Lobongo Phool) started and then the film and I didn’t get time to think about anything else.
Why did you decide to carry on with acting?
Ishaa: I didn’t know how to express myself. I realised this through acting. Before acting happened, I had never ever cried in front of anyone. Maybe I would cry behind closed doors.
Aditya, how did Anindyada convince you to act?
Aditya: That took some time! He first asked me whether I was interested in acting in a movie. So I told him that I was a bit confused about my acting. I said I would like to assist him. The script reading followed. Anindyada told me to have a word with my family and friends, and finally I was ready. I realised this would be a great learning experience. I had the liberty to observe, and there was less pressure on me. I knew Anindyada would bring out the best in me. I knew I’ll be okay if I follow Anindyada’s directions.
Ishaa: I had asked Anindyada if he does workshops. I was scared. But then he said that he doesn’t believe in workshops. The dynamic between our characters would not have come through if we had done workshops.
Aditya: We would have then lost out on the spontaneity… or the awkwardness that the characters have.
Now people are saying you have great chemistry on screen…
Aditya: My grandfather (theatre veteran Jochhon Dastidar) used to say that the chemistry in front of the camera depends on the physics behind it… like how well the director knows the science of making films, how well the cinematographer understands his shots.
Ishaa: I had done a TVC with Anindyada before this. And then I got the offer for this in February.
Aditya: I had lots of questions for Anindyada… like why did he choose me for this?
Ishaa: Eesh, even I asked him this.
Aditya: I don’t have the conventional appearance of a lead, neither the look nor the personality. And Anindyada was looking for that. And I was asked not to shave, which worked out great for me! But I am not so confused and uncertain like my character Antar. However, I could relate to his sense of understanding and quiet observation.
Ishaa: A few days ago I asked Anindyada the reason he took me. He told me that he found a sense of Bangaliana in me. He had a lot of confidence in us.
Aditya: It is really commendable that he gave newcomers like us so much space in a film.
Were you tense on the first day of shoot?
Aditya: No, I knew shoots don’t start or end on time. But surprisingly everything happened on time here.
Ishaa: I could not sleep the whole night before the shoot. This happens to me when I get tense. The next day my first scene went off well. As I looked up I saw Shibuda and Nanditadi (producers Shiboprosad Mukhopadhyay and Nandita Roy of Windows) sitting in front of the monitor. And my level of tension shot up.
Aditya: I actually got overconfident seven-eight days later since my shots were getting okayed in two-three takes!
You play a married couple in a joint family. How did you even connect with your characters?
Ishaa: I don’t know how to explain this. I had even asked Anindyada about this. I don’t think we went out of our way to do something. The feelings start to build up if you are in the zone. It’s all about how one reacts to the content of a scene.
Aditya: A lot depends on the dialogue exchange between the characters… the gestures and body language.
How did you prepare to inhabit the characters?
Aditya: Anindyada asked us not to overthink.
Ishaa: And the characters have this awkwardness, they don’t talk much. Which is why I guess we didn’t have the workshop. We were in the moment, feeling and reacting.
Aditya: Of course Anindyada showed us the way… about talking in a certain manner. That our
expressions don’t get too dramatic. That we don’t go above a certain pitch.
Ishaa: I have done only a mega serial (Jhanjh Lobongo Phool) before this, where the tone of acting is on the higher pitch. I took two days to understand that and then tone it down. Aditya is from theatre, so it really helped working with him.
Aditya: Certain issues might be alien to us, but that doesn’t mean we don’t know about it. And the crisis of the characters is shown from the point of view of other people. We would just respond. The others would act. And we would react!
Acting in film versus acting in theatre — what’s the difference?
Aditya: I actually started acting from age four with a play (his mother is actress Kheyali Dastidar). I am with the theatre group Charbak now. For theatre, you act with your body and you act with your eyes in cinema. Theatre is very unforgiving whereas you get many second chances in cinema.
Ishaa: And I feel I have to do theatre to get rid of some inhibitions. I have to watch plays first.
Aditya: Of course the praise you get for acting in cinema is vast and comes for many days. Theatre has a very blood, sweat and tears thing to it. Cinema involves around 200-300 people. If 20 people get involved in theatre, they’ll share equal responsibility.
Aditya, are you drawn to fame?
Aditya: No. Fame is fickle, it can be your friend and your enemy.
And you will move to direction…
Aditya: I don’t see acting on the cards. Maybe if I get a nice role…
Ishaa: And I don’t see myself dancing in films. I can’t do it (laughs).
What are your Puja plans?
Ishaa: Only Puja promotions!
Aditya: I usually go out with friends or family at night. And sleep throughout the day.
Ishaa: This time he’ll promote the film.
Aditya: I have to do one thing during Puja… I have to ride the Triangular Park Ferris wheel and have popcorn and candy floss.
FAVE DIRECTORS
Aditya: Quentin Tarantino, Christopher Nolan, Rajkumar Hirani. I watch films with an academic approach.
Fave actors
Ishaa: Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Robert Downey Jr.
Arindam Chatterjee
Picture: Pabitra Das
