Raima	Parambrata	Swastika

Producer Joy Ganguly and director Mainak Bhaumik have been toying with the idea of Maach Mishti ’N’ More ever since The Bong Connection released in 2006 (directed by Anjan Dutt, produced by Joy’s Moxie Entertainment, with Mainak as editor). But “somehow things didn’t fall into place” and their ambitious project just kept getting delayed.

Now, finally, after changing the script a bit and tweaking the cast, Joy and Mainak are ready to hit the floors with their dream film.

Starring Raima Sen, Parambrata Chattopadhyay, Swastika Mukherjee, Shauvik (the cabbie in The Bong Connection) and newcomers Rachita, Neha and Anubrata, Maach Mishti ’N’ More revolves around three brothers — Rahul (Shauvik), Rony (Parambrata) and Raj (Anubrata) — in a middle-class family in Calcutta.

“Despite the delay we never ever thought of scrapping the film. In between I got busy with three other films — Brakefail, Shukno Lanka and Bhooter Bhabishyat (yet to release). Mainak too got busy with other films. Now we are both free and ready to hit the floors,” says Joy, whose Mojo Productions will produce the film.

Neha	Shauvik	Anubrata	Rachita

“Maach Mishti ’N’ More is a very dear film for both of us because over the years we’ve discussed a lot about the script and the cast and changed a few things here and there, yet we always knew that the film would be made,” adds Joy.

And how would the maker describe Maach Mishti ’N’ More? “A love letter to Calcutta,” declares Mainak. “It’s about a typical Bengali family of dadu, parents and three brothers and their love interests. Then there’s the Marwari community which plays a big part in today’s cosmopolitan Calcutta. This is a film about the Calcutta we see now. It’s urban and young and yet the Bong idiosyncrasies are very much there.”

How much of Joy and Mainak will find their way into Maach Mishti ’N’ More? “You can say that it’s my story and Joy’s. We’ve lived abroad and come back. We still don’t smoke in front of our parents and yet we party a lot, drink and have different types of friends.”

In Maach Mishti ‘N’ More, Shauvik and Swastika play a married couple who decide to come back to India after having lived in America. Parambrata plays a corporate executive who is in love with a Marwari girl (Rachita), till he meets Raima and falls for her.

“Raima is playing a character very much like what she’s in real life. She plays Ishani, fun-loving and carefree, which Raima really is. I’ve always wanted to cast Raima in a role like this,” laughs Mainak.

Anubrata is the youngest son of the family. “He wants to get out of Calcutta because he doesn’t like anything about the city but then he meets Neha with whom he rediscovers Calcutta,” adds Mainak.

Even if Maach Mishti ’N’ More has a Bong Connection hangover, “it’s not Bong Connection 2”, clarifies Joy, who defines it as “a very GenY film”.

Mainak drives home the difference between the two films: “Bong Connection was about going abroad and coming back but Maach Mishti ’N’ More is completely about people living in Calcutta.”

Maach Mishti ’N’ More rolls on the floors on August 22.