“Cinema on cops is not the reality. The way the work of the police is portrayed is far from what we do,” assistant commissioner of Kolkata Police, Alok Sanyal, told My Kolkata. And Sanyal would know this very well. Not only is he a real-life police officer, he has also graced the silver screen in pursuit of his passion for acting.
As Khakee: The Bengal Chapter streams on Netflix, My Kolkata spoke to Sanyal to know more about the officer who handles high-stakes drama in reel and real life.
Off-screen cop to on-screen roles
Sanyal developed an interest in theatre during his school days, and since, acting has become his passion
Growing up in Datan, Midnapore, Sanyal has been interested in theatre and other cultural activities since his school days. Sanyal’s acting debut took place in high school. “We had a play on King Alexander and I was offered the role of Porus. I refused the role and told my teacher that I wanted to play the main role. The teacher made me understand that Porus was no less of a role, since he was a brave king,” recalled Sanyal.
Sanyal has only portrayed a police officer only once for a docu series, and doesn’t enjoy playing the role on screen
What started as an extracurricular activity for him, soon turned into a passion. But, when Sanyal joined the force, acting took a backseat. “The job isn’t easy. There was hardly any time to do other things. But I still continued watching plays at Rabindra Sadan while staying at the bachelor’s mess of the Police Training School (PTS),” said the ACP.
Alok Sanyal with Mimi Chakraborty in ‘Jaha Bolibo Sotyo Bolibo’
In 2016, when Alok Sanyal was posted as the assistant commissioner of traffic police, he made his screen debut with an ad film, but his breakthrough into feature films happened with Srijato’s Manobjomin in 2023. He then went on to feature in films like Shontan by Raj Chakraborty, Aranyar Prachin Probad by Dulal Deyo, and more. He also appeared in popular television series like Jagadhatri.
With web series gaining steam, he bagged several small but significant roles in OTT shows from Hoichoi and KLiKK. He was seen in Sampurna 2, Lojja, Chemistry Mashi, Kaalratri, Noshtoneer, Jaha Bolibo Sotyo Bolibo and Milkshake Murder, among others.
Sanyal has worked with big names in Tollywood, including Chiranjeet Chakraborty, Mithun Chakraborty, Swastika Mukherjee and Sohini Sarkar.
Sanyal with (left) Prosenjit Chatterjee and (centre) Shiboprasad Mukherjee
Through his acting journey, Sanyal has played a host of characters — a district magistrate, a loving father, and even the antagonist in Shontan in 2024, which, for him, was one of the most important roles of his acting career. He has only played the role of a police officer on screen once. In fact, he doesn’t like portraying a cop in reel life, he said.
The one time he played a cop was for the 2024 docu-series Robinson Street Horror Story by Kamaleshwar Mukherjee. “I was closely associated with the investigation of the case, and it was a well-directed series,” said Sanyal.
Sanyal with actor Basudeb Mukherji
Sanyal is often asked how he juggles his acting career with his day job. “When you have passion and dedication, you can do it,” he said, adding that it’s about choices and timing. “Working in a teleseries was difficult when I moved to ACP headquarters. While I nurture my acting career, I am committed to my official post too. I have to be particular about the roles I pick, and I cannot shoot out of station, so I choose and reject offers accordingly,” he explained.
When asked about Khakee: The Bengal Chapter, and the portrayal of police on screen, Sanyal said he is excited to watch the series, because it has a “promising cast” and “stories like this need to be told”. He usually connects to cop movies on a personal level, however, the actor-cop agrees that reel isn’t always real when it comes to the job of a police officer.
… during Durga Puja
“Often the job we do is shown to have a lot of violence and action, but in reality it is more about using your brain than physical strength. Also, they often don't get the uniforms right. The stars or badges on the shoulders determine the designation. I try to guide directors in the right direction in the projects I work on.”When not in uniform, Sanyal isn’t recognised as a police officer but as an actor. In fact, his friends and colleagues in the department have a nickname for him — ‘celebrity cop’! Sanyal has always received encouragement and feedback for his roles from his peers and superiors in the department.
With actor Biswanath Basu
Upcoming projects
Sanyal’s list of upcoming projects includes Aari starring Nusrat Jahan and Yash Dasgupta. Sanyal will appear in a cameo role where he will be seen playing the dhol and singing kirtans. He will also be seen playing the role of a psychiatrist in Mainak Bhaumik’s Grihostho.
While he seamlessly switches roles in his life, the Kolkata Police officer is looking forward to taking up bigger roles. “When I work with veteran actors, it is a learning experience for me. I am still learning, and after retirement, I will start my second innings. Till then, I find joy in working for the people,” he signed off.
