Some conversations begin with cinema and quietly drift into memory, belief, and wonder. This one does exactly that. What starts as a discussion about a new film and the rare thrill of sharing screen space with a childhood crush soon unfolds into stories of on-set camaraderie and the deep bonds that form when a cast becomes a family. Along the way, Mimi Chakraborty and Soham Majumdar recount chilling real-life encounters across hotels, and reflect on their belief in energies that exist beyond explanation. A t2 chat...

Soham, when you first heard that you’d be doing a film with Mimi, what went through your mind?

Soham: I grew up watching her films. Bhojana Shey Bhojana was a favourite... especially the song Kothin. And then it hit me — I was getting to romance my childhood crush on screen. It felt like a proper childhood crush manifestation happening. Working with her felt really special.
Mimi: I really like my character in this film. I first heard the script when Aamar Boss came out. Soham was there from day one. I am a part of an ensemble cast after a very long time.

Did you tell her that she was your childhood crush? Is this the first time you’re revealing it?

Soham:(Laughs) No, not really. I think I’ve expressed it through my actions and words. I’m actually very shy that way — I don’t usually say these things out loud.

How was it working with the rest of the cast?

Soham: It was wonderful. Not just Mimi, but Bonnie, Swastika — even though Swastika and I barely had scenes together, our interactions were lovely. Kanchan Mullick, Manashi Sinha — everyone was superb. With Manashidi, I had worked together before, but for many others it was the first time. That’s what Windows does so well — they bring a group together and it becomes like a semi-family. You don’t feel like you’re working.

The shoot location sounded… challenging.

Mimi: The house where we shot was a new place... it was beautiful. You could see the hills from the hotel. Earlier things were different. But now there are gorgeous hotels and a strong homestay culture, but back then it was tough. Still, it felt like going back home after pack-up.

Mimi, you grew up hearing a lot of ghost stories.

Mimi: Yes, we have all heard Nishir Golpo. My mother used to say if someone knocks at dawn, don’t open the door. I was petrified throughout my childhood because of these stories. Since I have survived that, I have become fearless. There was also the infamous story about a good jinn protecting a house.

Did you ever have a paranormal encounter?

Mimi: I’ve been spooked a few times. Once in Hyderabad, during a shoot. Ankush was terrified — he said someone was talking continuously inside his bathroom. He banged on my door, shaking. I kept hearing banging sounds too. He changed rooms the next day.

But what was your most intense experience?

Mimi: In Istanbul. We were staying in a heritage palace hotel during a film shoot. My room had no proper window — just a net. That night, I felt someone walking on my bed, and I froze. I couldn’t move, couldn’t breathe, couldn’t open my eyes. I kept chanting the Gayatri Mantra in my head. This went on for nearly two hours. Around 4am, I felt that I was released. I ran out of the room screaming.

That sounds terrifying.

Mimi: It was. Later, the hotel staff told us that part of the palace used to have bad energy. Apparently, guests aren’t supposed to stay there anymore.

Do you believe in ghosts?

Mimi: I absolutely believe in entities and energies. If there’s positive energy, there must be negative too. I follow a lot of real paranormal documentaries — they suggest something exists, even if we don’t fully understand it.
Soham: In the 1990s, during our childhood, we did not complain about the power cuts. That meant that we did not have to study for a certain period of time. We would take a torch, shine the beam straight onto our faces and tell ghost stories.

Years ago, when I was in Bombay, we did not have the money to stay in expensive hotels at the time. So, people we knew were very kind enough to accommodate us in their houses. We were a theatre group. I was in a house near the airport and we would hear these loud sounds of planes taking off.

One day, I started hearing a lot of whispers from the next room. And those whispers were pretty loud. They didn’t disturb me. I didn’t feel anything. The next day, the landlady informed us that there were ‘good spirits’ there. I have not experienced it enough to genuinely make up my mind about whether I believe it or not. I have not experienced it at that length. Is it true? You can’t really say. I believe in the positive and negative energies. In college, my friends had opened a paranormal research society. We used to go to all these haunted spots.

Tell us a little about your characters.

Soham: I play a lawyer. Certain events force me to do something you wouldn’t expect. That’s where the planchette comes in. What happens after that is the story. Mimi also plays a lawyer — senior to me — and my fiancée. There’s love, tension, and a lot of emotional layers.

Mimi, you’ve played a lawyer before.

Mimi: The profession here is just a tool to move the story forward. It’s a fun, layered film.

What did you discover about each other as actors?

Soham: She’s incredibly nurturing... protective of her tribe. She had my back many times without needing to.
Mimi: He is deeply respectful towards his craft and towards everyone on set. He is very dedicated.

Are you someone who enjoys watching horror films?

Mimi: Thriller and horror are my favourite genres. Paranormal Activity was amazing. The Conjuring, the first one especially, is brilliant. Also, The Exorcism of Emily Rose. Chinese and Korean horror films are exceptional.
Soham: 1408 was terrifying. Shutter still haunts me.

 Pictures: Pabitra Das
Location courtesy: Hashtag Kolkata
 For Mimi
Hair: Sima Ghosh
Make-up: Ameeth Dash
 For Soham
Costume: Shopper’s Stop
Stylist: Anrini Bhattacharyya