He has lived in Mumbai for 15 years, working as an associate director to Vikram Bhatt. But when it came to making his directorial debut, Calcutta boy Sujit Mondal chose to do a Tolly potboiler with Jeet and Koel Mullick. Sujit tells t2 how his Saat Pake Bandha will be different from the Suchitra-Soumitra-starrer...

How different is your film from Suchitra-Soumitra’s Saat Pake Bandha?

It’s the same story of ups and downs in a married couple’s life. Jeet and Koel play the couple and it’s about how they face a lot of hurdles in their life. But the treatment will be very different. Technically, mine will be way above.

The two films can’t be compared. While the Suchitra-Soumitra film was slightly offbeat, mine is a hardcore commercial film. There is a lot of song and dance. It’s a very modern take though the story has similarities. Our film will have gloss and sheen. I can put this as a challenge that such a technically enriched film has never been made in Tollywood. I am going to get the camera and technicians from Mumbai. Saat Pake Bandha will make people laugh and cry. I am sure my film will be a superhit. It will be my gift to Tollywood.

Why did you cast Jeet and Koel?

Why not? They are the hottest jodi of Tollywood. They are like what Rituparna (Sengupta) and Bumba (Prosenjit) used to be. Jeet and Koel have given many box-office hits in the past. They are saleable stars and since my film is a love story, who better than them? It’s a good thing that they are working together again. I always wanted to do my first film with Jeet and Koel. The script demanded them. They are hot, fresh and they look good on screen.

How did this film happen?

I have been planning Saat Pake Bandha with Shree Venkatesh Films for over four years now. But I got busy with films in Mumbai. It took some time for everything to fall into place. I am very happy with the script for which I have researched for over a year.

Why didn’t you think of making your first film in Hindi?

See, I am a Bengali. I was born and brought up in south Calcutta, so when I wanted to turn director I chose to do the film in Bengali. That’s my mother tongue and I am more comfortable in Bangla. My association with Vikram (Bhatt) goes back a long way. It has been a great experience working with Vishesh Films. I will be directing a film for them soon. But I wanted my first film to be in Bengali.

After working in Bollywood for 15 years, won’t it be difficult for you to make a Tolly-style commercial film?

No, I was always in touch with Tollywood. I am in touch with directors like Ravi Kinnagi and Raj Chakraborty. Besides, producers Mani (Mahendra Soni) and Shrikant (Mohta) are very good friends. I have seen recent Bengali films on DVD to get the feel of what the audience prefer to see in Bengal. I have done my homework.

When do you start shooting?

We start shooting from March 5. Calcutta apart, we will shoot in Hyderabad and a few songs in some locations abroad. Jeet Gannguli will do the music. I am really excited. Though I have rubbed shoulders with the likes of Amitabh Bachchan and Akshay Kumar, doing a Bengali film is a different feeling altogether.