Picture by Sanjoy Chattopadhyaya

Of late, Prosenjit is wearing only kurtas and salwars instead of jeans and T-shirts; his newly-acquired shoulder-length hair is pulled back into a pony tail. He has been talking less and mostly musing to himself. After being cooped up in his Ballygunge house for a month, Prosenjit tells t2 how he is trying to be Lalan Fakir for Goutam Ghose’s Moner Manush, which he starts shooting from Sunday.

You needed to grow your hair and beard for Moner Manush, but why have you become reclusive?

Nobody told me to do all this but I felt that I needed to get into a certain frame of mind in order to play Lalan Fakir, a man from the 18th century. So I am practically living in isolation these days. I have cut myself off from everything that I thought would distract me. I sorted out my officework well in advance, and I stopped socialising and interacting with people on work. I am with myself most of the day. I want to be a little unfamiliar to everyone when I go on the sets in Birbhum on December 6.

What do you do the whole day?

I spend time in one of my rooms, which I have done up with mats after removing the sofas. I read the script or something related to Lalan, I listen to music or I just sit and try to understand Lalan’s philosophy. Lalan loved humanity. He looked for God in people, and that is a challenge for me.... In the evenings, I practise the ektara and dugi. I have been learning these instruments for the past one month under the guidance of Sashthi Baul of Nabadwip. I rehearse with his students for hours. I love spending time with the bauls, getting to know their way of life... sometimes I wonder why I do the things I do. Some of the things we do are often so useless.

So it is bringing about some kind of internal change in you as well...

Yes... I think it is making me a better person.

Have you taken any other training as part of your preparation?

I am brushing up on lathikhela... I had done lathikhela in my films before. I am picking up the dance style of the bauls and their body language. I am also trying to learn walking on the ranpa, though Goutamda is insisting that I don’t need to do it. I also practise walking with my kharam on at home. I am trying my best.

And your look?

Well, I had to grow my hair and beard. I was in Mumbai recently to get a make-up test done by Vikram Gaekwad; he is doing my make-up for Moner Manush. Vikram gave me these hair extensions, which I am having to wear all the time.

You didn’t take up any films in the past six months. Hasn’t that been tough?

Going off work for six months is a very difficult thing for any actor to do in an industry like ours because our economy doesn’t support it. In Mumbai, an Aamir Khan is financially compensated when he takes a few months off to prepare for a film.... Oh, I met Aamir when I was in Mumbai. He wanted to show me 3 Idiots when he heard that I was in town. Raju (Rajkumar Hirani) was also there. I loved 3 Idiots! I think it’s going to be a superhit.

Aamir was happy that I was taking so much effort to play this character.... I have never spent this amount of time and energy on any other role in my whole acting career. What is most important to me is that I have been able to make this kind of sacrifice.

What did you have to sacrifice?

I let go of work worth Rs 1.5 crore! I refused two endorsements, four films and at least 20 shows. I have turned down several social commitments too. Goutamda never wanted me to do all this, he is very flexible. But as I said I wanted to live in a certain way to do this film.

Why is this role so special?

Because I have never played a real-life character before and because I think it would be difficult for any actor to refuse this role if it comes his way. I am playing Lalan in his 30s, then when he is in the 45-50 age bracket, and finally when he is 80-90 years old. There are three sides to this character. First, the creative guy — Lalan is a singer-songwriter. Second, he is a rebel. Third, his all-encompassing love for humanity. Lalan sheltered social outcasts from all religions in his ashram. He was a very popular man.... He was very open about sex. He saw it as a necessity and he didn’t believe in marriage. They (the bauls) made love as part of their sadhana (spiritual training). I found Lalan to be a very modern man. It’s fascinating!