We knew the three of them would get on like a house on fire. The leg-pulling and mock fighting would start in no time, and no prizes for guessing whose leg would be pulled the most! Over Darjeeling tea for Parambrata Chattopadhyay and a glass of water for Abir Chatterjee (the boys are on a serious calorie watch), plus a Red Bull for Raima Sen (though her energy seldom flags when playing pranks), t2 got chatting with the trio of Friday film Bastushaap — directed by Kaushik Ganguly, produced by Shyam Sundar Dey and Pramod Lundia — at Park Plaza. 

Raima, you have done quite a few films with Param and Abir. How was it working with the two of them together in Bastushaap?
Raima: Whenever I do a film with either of them, it’s great fun and three of us together was a blast. During the outdoor in Chalsa, they ganged up against me, but don’t worry I made my presence felt!

Param: Raima would come and say, ‘Listen, I exist!’ 

Raima: I used to get jealous because Param would exercise every day and I was like how dare he get the time to exercise while I have to get ready! 

Abir: Param is a fitness freak and would exercise regularly and I used to get tense because I would not!

Param: This liklikey Abir that you see now wasn’t there earlier; he has achieved this body post-Bastushaap outdoor.

Abir: Absolutely! One day during the shoot Param hurt his fingers... 

Raima: When I saw him, I burst out laughing and he got so angry!

Param: I was in excruciating pain and she started laughing! 

Raima: I thought, it serves him right! He gets to exercise every day, takes extra time, see what happened!

Param: By the way, she is a Candy Crush maniac.
 

What level have you reached?
Raima: 412!

Abir: Bhoyonkor!
 

Do you watch each other’s films and discuss your work? 
Param: Discuss films with her?! I mean it doesn’t really make sense!

Raima: I will kill you Param! 

Param: Before Bastushaap, Abir and and I were friends. Some would say we are friends... competitors. After this outdoor…

Raima: … They are fitness pals!
 

Do you and Abir hang out together now? 
Param: Not really. But if there’s a party at my place, Abir is one of the first people I call. 

Raima: Shit. I thought it was me! 

Abir: You are always in Bombay.

Param: We asked Raima to come over to Kurseong when we had a schedule there for Bastushaap and she refused. We had a blast.

Raima: How would I know that my detox partner (Abir) would turn toxic over there?!


What’s the secret of being a foodie and still being fit?
Param: Exercise is a must.

Abir: Eat only home-cooked food.

Raima: I don’t have a sweet tooth but I love biryani. 

Param: Raima has the metabolism of a rhinoceros! You wait Raima, I will see you in Miami, throw you in the water! [Param and Raima will shoot for Suman Ghosh’s next in Miami]

Raima: My first Bengali film abroad! For a film I have never travelled abroad, only to North Bengal and back, or Santiniketan and back, or Jhargram and back. 

Abir: Been to the Andamans and back (for Hridh Majharey)!
 

Abir and Param, how much would Raima score as an actress?
Abir: Since this is a t2 interview, I would give her 10 on 10. Moondi (Moon Moon Sen, Raima’s mom) reads t2! 

Param: When I go to Bangladesh for work, people over there tell me, ‘Bhaiya Raima Sen anek josh actress’. I only listen and laugh to myself! Everyone thinks she is a serious actress... 

Raima: ...You don’t have to ruin it!

Param: She is a kelaney on the sets! So on the sets, Raima would score five, but the Raima that we get to see on screen will score about eight. That is why she gets away with all the nonsense that she does. 

Abir: But she has her own way of working, which may not be the way I work. This I have understood after doing five films with her.

Raima: Abir just became my favourite co-actor! 
 

Raima, how would you rate Abir and Param on a scale of 10?
Raima: 10 on 10 for Abir!

Param: Give him nine?

Raima: Okay, 11 on 10 for Abir, and 10 on 10 for Param! How about that?

Param: Saat sheyanar ek sheyana! 
 

Who does Raima look best with on screen — Abir or Param? 
Raima: I look good with both of them, that’s why I am getting so many films with them.

Param: Apart from Raima, the other actress who has worked with both of us is Payel (Sarkar), right? I quite like Abir and Payel together.

Raima: He means to say he prefers Payel and Abir to me and Abir!

Abir: She looks good with both of us!
 

What’s the one question you want to ask each other?
Raima: Who’s your favourite actress? 

Param: Chol Abir, 1-2-3: RAIMAAAAAA! 

Abir: My question for Param: In which of his directorial ventures will he cast Raima and me together?

Raima: Good one!

Param: Haven’t really thought of that! But I will cast Abir soon. 

Abir: You get that? (Looks at Raima)

Param: Streak of jealousy in me! Abir: Raima, if you were to watch one of your films, which would it be?

Raima: Abby Sen.

Param: My question for Raima: Contrary to what you are, if we just for a second believe that you are passionate about your work, then which is that one film where you thought you were hideous? 

Raima: Chhaya Manush.

Param: Now for Abir: Are you thinking of playing any other sleuth?

Abir: No. I feel scared the moment I hear ‘franchise’, ‘sleuth’!

Param: I have another question for Abir: Among all your co-actresses, honestly bol... name the one you had a crush on! 

Raima: I know who it is!

Abir: Never had a crush!

Raima: Rubbish!

Param: Okay, an actress you liked?

Abir: My Royal Bengal Tiger co-star Shraddha Das. Safe answer!

Raima: It’s a lie! I know who it is. Payel!

Param: I thought he would say Raima. 

What’s there in your fridge 24x7?
Raima: Sausages and cheese. 

Param: Fish. 

Abir: Dark chocolate and curd. 
 

Superstitions and them

Black cat crossing the path...
Raima: Supposed to be unlucky.  
Param: Part of my brain tells me it’s all bullshit, part of my brain becomes insecure. I wait for sometime for another car to pass!
Abir: Nowadays you don’t get to see a black cat on the streets.

Friday the 13...
A: Very lucky for me. My first Byomkesh (Byomkesh Bakshi) released on Friday 13.
P: For me 13 is one plus three equals to four and it’s always been a decent number. 
R: Don’t believe.

Broken mirror...
R: Unlucky. I had broken a mirror in college and my friends said seven years of bad luck. I didn’t have the best luck after that. 
P: I find it uneasy to look at a broken mirror. The image gets distorted... gives an eerie feeling.
A: Don’t believe.

Touchwood...
P: I do it and believe in it.
R: I also do it.
A: Yes, I do it.
 

Questions came pouring in when we tweeted pictures of the three in the t2 chat. Here’s what the actors replied...

DEEPIKAHOLIC to Abir: You are doing back-to-back films. What is the secret behind such energy?
@itsmeabir: There is no secret! Isn’t it? @t2telegraph 

Chaitanya Srivastava: Abir, you are doing extremely well in Tollywood. Are you planning to breakthrough in Bollywood as well?
@itsmeabir: Not really... but I’m open to experiments... and most importantly, loads to explore in Tolly as of now @t2telegraph 

Samaresh Saha: We are waiting for 22shey Srabon 2...
@paramspeak: After Hemlock 2, now we have a fresh demand! @srijitspeaketh @t2telegraph 

Kushali Nag
Who does Raima look best with — Abir or Parambrata? 
Tell t2@abp.in