From the busy corridors of the economics department at Presidency College (now University) emerged two dreamers who would one day speak the language of cinema. One walked those halls before the other, but both strayed from the well-trodden road, choosing instead to make films that spoke to the pulse of their convictions. Now, Suman Ghosh and Srijit Mukherji — once bound by alma mater and belief — have come together in a rare confluence of art and destiny to work on a film. Suman is all set to direct Srirampur Diaries, a love story, where Srijit will be the music composer and curator. A t2 chat...

Suman Ghosh Why did you decide to direct a love story after Puratawn?

Srirampur Diaries is a very personal film for me. I am from Srirampur. I grew up there... I wanted to do this film for a long time. Last year, I finally felt the need to do this film. The film had a gestation period, and once that period was over, I was ready to jump into it.

When did you write the story?

For the last 30 years (laughs)! I left Srirampur 30 years ago and arrived in the US. Srirampur has been an integral part of my life. Over the years, the story blossomed into a script.

Why is the film called Srirampur Diaries?

It is a humorous love story, and the late 1980s and early 1990s serve as a backdrop to the film. It was a period of tumultuous change. There was the fall of communism, India liberalised, and Advani’s Rath Yatra happened in 1990. A lot of things happened in India and the world during that period. The film is a diary of the times when the world changed drastically within a span of three-four years. In contrast, I wanted to bring the innocence of suburban life, which I feel is lost now. The love story emanates from this backdrop.

Will it be a semi-autobiographical film?

It is... yes. But it is not my love story... it happened to one of my friends. Snippets of suburban life inform the main structure of the love story.

Why did you decide to have Srijit Mukherji as a music composer and curator?

Starting with Autograph, the music of Srijit’s films has been immense. The songs have archival value in Bengali cinema. I have been fascinated by his ability to choose the right lyricist, the singer (for example, Kabir Suman, Nachiketa)... I loved the music of X = Prem and when I met the composer Saptak Sanai Das at a party, I congratulated him. Srijit also deserves a lot of credit for giving space to newcomers like Saptak.

One day, I asked him how he discovers such new voices and music directors. He said that he visits various YouTube channels where new composers post their songs. People send him songs and lyrics via Facebook Messenger. And he listens to all of them. That is extremely encouraging for a lot of newcomers. Giving space to newcomers is so important for the Bengali film industry now. He was my college junior... I have a separate relationship with him. In this film, Srijit is more than a music composer. He is a curator also. And I wanted to steal his expertise for my film (laughs). There will be four songs in the film, and since I trust him so much and adore his musical sense, he will take it forward.

Why cast Riddi Sen and Surangana Bandyopadhyay as the leads?

It is inexplicable as to why and how a particular actor comes to my mind when writing the screenplay but it always does. That helps me to have the anchor around which I write the screenplay. I have to have a face which helps me to think visually when writing. The same happened here with Riddhi and Surangana. And they are extremely good actors. They are complete artistes in the truest sense. I have been in conversations with them over the last two years — even in between when I was making Kabuliwala, Puratawn or the documentary on Aparna Sen.

Srijit Mukherji What are your thoughts on collaborating with Suman Ghosh?

Apart from being my college senior, Sumanda is a dear friend of mine. We go back a long way. I am extremely fond of him, not only as a person but also as a filmmaker. He has a unique voice and incredible range as a filmmaker... something which I really look up to. He is one of those Bengali filmmakers who has brought international acclaim to Bengali films. I jokingly tell him that he should possibly now look for a flat in Busan since his films have been to Busan so many times. It’s an honour and a delight to collaborate with him.

How would you describe your role as a music composer and curator?

Sumanda first approached me for music production about a year and a half ago. Later, when I told him that I was also getting into composing, we decided that I would take on the role of music composer and curator for Srirampur Diaries.

Essentially, that means I’ll be composing one or two songs while bringing other composers on board. I’ll be curating the overall musical landscape — deciding what kind of songs will feature in different situations, selecting the lyricists — whether new collaborators or those who have previously worked with Sumanda and me — and choosing the singers for each track. I’m also the music composer for Emperor vs Sarat Chandra, which features two Tagore songs and two original compositions. I’m composing the two original songs — one written by Srijato, and the other by me.

How does your background in visual storytelling influence the way you approach music production?

Yes, it does influence the way I approach music composing and production... also my experience of working with so many fantastic musicians over the years. Also, I have grown up in a very musical environment. I play a couple of instruments. My pishi is Arati Mukherjee. My father was a student of Sudhin Dasgupta, and my mother was a student of Kalyani Roy. I have woken up to the sound of the sitar every morning. All that helps somewhere.