Minu (Paoli) chooses the meek and submissive Haru over the strong and confident Hercules (both played by Param). Pictures: Rashbehari Das

They go back a long way, having done five films together. P+P— Parambrata Chattopadhyay and Paoli Dam — got chatty with t2 about their August 29 release Hercules, directed by Sudeshna Roy-Abhijit Guha, at the director duo’s Dhakuria office.

Parambrata, you have a double role in Hercules as the underconfident Haru and the strong-willed Hercules. Which did you identify with the most?

Param: Haru, of course. Any sensitive human being would connect more with a loser! They want to be the winner... everybody wants to be a winner, the more vigorous, the more steadfast one, but inside everyone of us there’s that pain of a loser, so that’s why I connect with Haru more. When I was in my early teens, I used to be bullied a lot because I looked like a girl. I had a head full of curly hair and I looked like a plump girl. I became a lad from a boy quite late. By the time my friends were shaving, I didn’t even have single inch of facial hair! (Laughs) And I was always a loner. I would wish that there’s more of Hercules in me but unfortunately, I think, there’s more of Haru in me.

Paoli, could you connect with your character Minu, a phone booth owner?

Paoli: No. Minu runs an STD booth for a livelihood, and I act. What I could connect to is Minu’s emotional crisis and her fondness for Haru. Haru’s innocence is scarcely found in people nowadays. We are becoming very modern.

According to you, is Param Haru or Hercules in real life?

Paoli: I think he is a mix of both.

Param: After a certain age, we all have to be a mix of both, otherwise we can’t survive.

Paoli: I think Haru, Hercules, Minu and Mosh (Saswata Chatterjee) represent people from our society. There’s Haru, Minu and Mosh in all of us.

You two have done five films together. Looking back, how do you see each other evolving as an actor?

Paoli: When I started working with Param, he was just an actor. Now he is also a director. He has evolved as an artiste.

Param: Same goes for her. Paoli has become a lot fitter than she used to be. She has seen a lot more of the world in the last six-seven years, and she’s way more mature. Apart from the acting bit, she also takes an interest in the other aspects of acting. I have seen her grow stronger as a person.

One reason why people should watch Hercules...

Param: It’s my best work till date.

Paoli: It’s a fun film with a message.

Paoli: Param, you act and direct but is there anything else that you want to do which is closer to your heart?

Param: If there’s anything else that is closer to my heart, it’s music. But I don’t want to pursue it as a career because I am not qualified enough. I think I should have really learnt music in detail and music is so close to me that I don’t want it to be a profession because it’s always nice to turn your passion into your profession but in the process you incur a few compromises.

Paoli: So if we keep music aside, which do you like more — acting or directing?

Param: Acting has been an acquired taste. Directing is something I like very spontaneously.

Param: Paoli, you spend a lot of time in Bombay. Do you really enjoy the stay there?

Paoli: I enjoy it. I have grown up in a joint family. I was exposed to theatre and films from a very young age. But I have always been very shy and introvert. In Bombay I get my me-time. So I enjoy my stay there.