Veteran Bengali actress Lily Chakraborty will portray a lesbian character in filmmaker Abhigyan Mukherjee’s upcoming anthology film Anumaner Bhittite, which examines the idea of self-independence through four interlinked stories.

The film, structured as an anthology, draws its narrative spine from a book titled Anumaner Bhittite, written by a popular author who is also a character in the film. Fifteen years after his debut book raised questions in the public domain, the writer revisits themes of self-reliance, personal choice and happiness.

Each chapter focuses on individuals navigating duties, societal expectations, emotional dependence and life-altering decisions.

Chakraborty, 84, will be seen as a widowed food blogger who runs her platform with the help of her grandson. Her character reunites with a woman she loved six decades ago and seeks companionship in the final years of her life.

The segment questions how society’s perception of same-sex relationships has evolved over time and how much has truly changed despite shifts in social attitudes.

In a statement to The Telegraph Online, Lily Chakraborty said, “Through my character, Abhigyan has tried to explore what true self-independence means. I hope it will resonate with the audience”.

“Anumaner Bhittite is positioned as a reflection on autonomy and identity, using intimate personal narratives to engage with broader social questions,” Mukherjee told The Telegraph Online, adding that Chakraborty had no inhibitions about her character when heard the narration.

The anthology also stars Amrita Chattopadhyay as a trained dancer forced to choose between her passion and an unplanned pregnancy, and Sreelekha Mitra as an oncologist determined to build a house of her own. Each story explores the cost and consequences of asserting independence in different stages of life.