After a fair run at the box office, Abir Chatterjee is overjoyed to reach a wider audience as the Aritra Mukherjee-directed Fatafati starts streaming on SonyLIV. The film about a plus-sized woman from a small town who goes from being a tailor to a social media influencer — played by Ritabhari Chakraborty — has Abir as her loving and supportive husband. While seeking out newer challenges, Abir, who was last seen in the OTT space in the SonyLIV series Avrodh, spoke to The Telegraph Online about what drives him after a successful decade-long career in the Bengali film industry.

Fatafati has lived up to its title with a good run at the box office. Now that it has dropped on OTT, what’s the feeling?

Abir Chatterjee: I am very excited. Fatafati did very well at the box office. There were housefull shows even on the 75th day. There’s a huge Bengali audience outside West Bengal and even outside India. Also, there are people who love to watch good content across languages. There are subtitles, so it has catered to a wider audience. It will be great to have all the feedback.

What does it inspire you to do?

Abir Chatterjee: I feel very happy. For an actor, we have the greed to reach a wider audience. I understand that my commitment is on a higher level and it gives me a chance to introspect but at the same time, the audience can’t have an excuse to not watch my films as it’s available everywhere and anytime now. If audiences don’t like it, they can voice their reservations but they should watch it.

What do you think has worked for Fatafati?

Abir Chatterjee: The subject of body positivity is a strong one. It also mattered how the story was told. It’s not preachy. It holds up a common problem subtly. It’s a simple and relatable story. It also shows family life and love between the husband and the wife. What it portrays is sweet, that’s it touched a chord.

As you said that it’s relatable, how did your female fans react after watching the film?

Abir Chatterjee: My female fans were emotional watching the film. People came up and shared their own struggles and poured their hearts out. We were happy that we could touch people’s hearts. Going by the film’s message, one should take a second look at their aspirations.

You have been around for over a decade. What drives you now?

Abir Chatterjee: I would like to do more national work but not just for the sake of it. If the character and the storyline are good, I would do it. Avrodh came out last year, around the same time. With the love and affection that the show has received, I got more choosy. I would love to do exciting work.

Is it your commitment towards the Bengali film industry which is keeping you away from the national landscape?

Abir Chatterjee: To some extent, yes, but I have worked on my time management skills. My industry peers are doing well and they are accepted all over. We can’t give an excuse for doing bad work. OTT platforms give us performers a lot of opportunities. The recent learning is to take up different challenges and opt for characters with different shades.