They know how to charm their way through a conversation. They often complete each other’s sentences or listen with rapt attention as the other speaks. They know when to pause and let the other person finish the train of thought. An anecdote brings back memories while an observation creates a space for discussion. One of the most successful lead pairs of Bengali cinema, Prosenjit and Rituparna Sengupta, are back on the big screen once again with their film Sasurbari Zindabad (directed by Haranath Chakraborty), which was re-released in theatres recently. A t2 chat with Prosenjit and Rituparna.

Could you ever imagine that Sasurbari Zindabad would re-release in theatres again?

Prosenjit: We are surprised and excited. We did not expect that this film would be re-released in theatres. Twenty-five years ago, this film was a trendsetter. Sasurbari Zindabad, a hardcore mainstream film, was digitised, packaged in a new way, and a new trailer was made for the film. These days, films do get re-released in theatres, but those are mostly serious films meant for film festivals.
Rituparna: I want to echo his words. Once again, we set the trend for something new... a film re-releasing in theatres after 25 years. Sasurbari Zindabadi was a game-changer and it captured the hearts of the people across Bengal. It marked the beginning of many, many things. Over the years, we have seen the film attracting new audiences; we see Reels of the film going viral. And of course, the immensely popular song Chokh tule dekho na exploded around us. It became the go-to song at weddings or parties. Our film was released on Jamai Sasthi 25 years ago; and once again the film was re-released on the occasion of Jamai Sasthi.

Do you remember the last time you watched the film?

Prosenjit: The scenes from the film keep appearing on YouTube or Instagram... those clips catch our eye.
Rituparna: I had sported a new hairstyle for the film; now I notice the costumes, the hairstyle, the timbre of my voice. I notice how I had delivered my lines. But I find everything so fresh and nice. There was this innocence to everything.
Prosenjit: During that time, we did not have a separate support system like we have now. But Sasurbari Zindabad made way for new things... production design was detailed. All the departments would get together for the meetings.
Rituparna: We had amazing choreography in the film... it was very innovative and those dance steps became so popular.

Why do you think the film is still relevant now?

Rituparna: Sasurbari Zindabad had a strong storyline with a solid emotional core. It looked so fresh. The film scored high on comedy, romance, songs, drama and fights. The film had some amazing action sequences. It was a magical entertainer.

Do you feel the younger generation would connect with it?

Prosenjit: Yes, they should watch the film in theatres. They will really enjoy it. The film is modern and entertaining; it’s very well made. It does not look like it was made 25 years ago.

What was your first reaction when you saw the new trailer for the film?

Prosenjit: It has been edited very smartly.

The new trailer starts off with your line, “Galagal ditey hoye… Bangla y di”. And interestingly, you finally get to deliver the cuss words in 22shey Srabon. Or a distinction between panta bhat and biryani in Sasurbari Zindabad is made, and we all know how popular your biryani line became after 22shey Srabon. It seems Sasurbari Zindabad almost foreshadowed certain things that finally became popular later!

Prosenjit: Sasurbari Zindabad was a mainstream film, and its makers tried out various new things. Now people can make those correlations. In mainstream films now, there is a highpoint in every 10 minutes. Something big has to happen in every 10 minutes. Interestingly, every scene in Sasurbari Zindabad itself has a high point. Every scene is an item. The film had punchy dialogues. We worked on the script for nine months.

How long did it take to shoot the film?

Prosenjit: Around 31 days.

How would you describe the box-office situation of Bengali films before the release of Sasurbari Zindabad?

Prosenjit: It was pretty good.
Rituparna: It was going through the highs and lows.
Prosenjit: The films were doing good business then but we were missing one blockbuster film that would shatter all box-office records. Sasurbari Zindabad became that film, which also introduced Cinemascope in Bengali cinema. At that time, Hindi films were being screened in Cinemascope; even the ads would run on Cinemascope. I felt that it was high time Bengali films should also be seen in Cinemascope. We also started the trend of doing photoshoots for posters with this film.

During that time, Rituparna was shooting for Aparna Sen’s Paromitar Ek Din and Sasurbari Zindabad simultaneously....

Prosenjit: All of us worked around it....
Rituparna: I am very grateful for that.
Prosenjit: During the daytime, Ritu would shoot for Rinadi’s film. She had played an intense character there. And at night, Ritu would shoot for Sasurbari..., which was so different from Paromitar Ek Din.
Rituparna: The team effort was fantastic. Everyone put in their best. Everyone took ownership of the film.
Prosenjit: The film made more than ₹2.5 crore only from theatres during that time, 25 years ago. Sasurbari Zinabad created history. It ran for 40 weeks in theatres. People would arrive in buses in large numbers to watch the film.
Rituparna: When we travel to different parts of Bengal for our shows, we always make it a point to include songs from Sasurbari.... There is a huge demand for the songs.

Can there be a sequel?

Prosenjit and Rituparna: Yes! But it might have a different masala.

Which are your favourite Prosenjit-Rituparna films?
Tell t2@abp.in