Srijit Mukherji’s film Gumnaami released on October 2. The Telegraph chatted with Anirban Bhattacharya at The Lords and Barons, Park Street. Here’s how the session unfolded:

Four big Puja releases — Gumnaami, Mitin Mashi, Password and Satyanweshi Byomkesh. How do you see it?

I am not reading too much into it. Any film release during the Puja has its own set of challenges, including the promotions. There is a culture in our country and especially in Bengal of Durga Puja releases... it was there even in Uttam Kumar’s time. But I don’t feel tense or pressured and it has nothing to do with the time of the release. Srijitda’s film had broken all the records last year with his Puja release. I hope he repeats the feat this year too. Apart from the four Bengali films, Hollywood and Bollywood are in the fray too with the Joaquin Phoenix-starrer Joker and the Hrithik-Tiger-starrer War.

You do have luck on your side when it comes to Puja release. Ek Je Chhilo Raja was a huge success...

It was my first Puja release. But only lead actors have these kind of tension or pressures, not me. Last year, Jisshu (Sengupta) took the pressure, this year Bumbada (Prosenjit) took that pressure.

What are your Puja plans this time around?

I usually don’t have Puja plans. I don’t like staying in Calcutta during that period. I prefer going back home... to Midnapore. The ambience is different plus there are memories associated with family and para friends. Puja is the only time I get to rest after working through the year.

Any fond Puja memories?

Childhood. The fun and excitement cannot be matched with any other Puja. When I was in school, between classes IV and IX, the Puja used to be organised in a field. It was a very basic structure... I remember an artisan named Bhaskar Pal used to make the idols. The idols used to be brought on Sashthi evening. Nowadays, Puja celebration starts from Mahalaya. I don’t get to see that kind of a Puja any more because the mufassil areas are getting urbanised as well. Maybe these Pujas happen in villages now. These Pujas have lost their exclusivity in their effort to ape the city Pujas.

And any Calcutta Puja memories?

I had been to Calcutta during the Pujas when I was in Class IV or V because my mama bari is in Calcutta. I went here with my parents for pandal-hopping. When I reached Class XI, I decided that I will be only in Midnapore during the Pujas.

Tell us about your role in Gumnaami...

I play a journalist named Chandrachur Dhar. He is assigned to write an article on Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose based on the Mukherjee Commission. My character is a fictionalised one. I would say there is a lot of Srijit Mukherji in Chandrachur Dhar. This is what I think after seeing the screenplay and acting in the film... it’s as if he is asking some pertinent questions about Netaji. It’s a very well-researched role and the emotional quotient of the character is very good. My character basically is every person who has a desire to know. And the questions are fair. It’s about such a great leader... no one expects him to be alive now but we, as Indians, have a right to know what happened. And why only Indians and Bengalis? Everyone should know... Netaji is a global icon. But the film is not investigative in nature... it’s not a whodunnit.

The authors of Conundrum: Subhas Bose’s Life After Death are Chandrachur Ghose and Anuj Dhar. Their names have been blended for your character (Chandrachur Dhar)… tell us about it...

Srijitda was influenced by Conundrum. But later, when he was developing the screenplay, Conundrum took a backseat. Then the Mukherjee Commission became more important in developing the film, which is clearly stated in the trailer and teasers. Maybe Srijitda wanted to acknowledge the work of Chandrachur Ghose and Anuj Dhar... hence my character’s name. Srijitda has this nice way of naming his characters... for example in Uma, Jisshu’s character was called Himadri... Anjanda’s character was named Brahmananda. My character was called Mohitosh Sur, which is a wordplay on Mahishasur. But my character in Gumnaami is fictional... it has nothing to do with the characters of Chandrachur and Anuj.

So just like we don’t have the answers, the film too doesn’t answer our queries?

The film doesn’t have answers. But we are privy to information and documents that have come up owing to the research. A commission does not only rely on newspaper articles, it investigates, it goes through lakhs of files and documents.

How did you prep for the role?

I had a lot of lines to prepare...with facts and dates. It included history, historical names. It’s like a history test. Probably the maximum number of lines in my film career. Memorising those wasn’t a problem as I am doing theatre for a long time now.

How did you get cast?

I got a call from Srijitda’s team first. That evening he himself called me and said the character’s name is Chandrachur Dhar. He sent me the script after three days. I was cast for the role. That’s it.

What was Srijit’s brief to you?

He gave me the screenplay. Usually, if he has something in mind, he will tell me. In this film, he wanted me to say the dialogue in one breath. It was a technical instruction. Sometimes he incorporates little things on the set... sometimes he would ask me to look in a particular way. For me, the communication with Srijitda on the set is not very verbal... we relate on a similar wavelength.

Tell us how you worked on your look?

We went through a lot of spectacles. Srijitda asked me to wear each of them... after sometime he asked me to wear a pair of specs and asked me to wet my hair and brush my hair back. I went to the washroom and brushed my hair back using tap water. Srijitda said that is the look — golden-rimmed round glasses.

Any influence of Netaji in your life?

I believe there’s no influence of any freedom fighter in my life. Because I was born in 1986... by then it was a different India. But I am fascinated by Netaji’s persona. Even visually... he was such a good-looking man. Plus such a lion-hearted and courageous individual.

You are saying being born in 1986 Netaji had no influence on you. Do you think this generation will go to the cinemas to watch a film on Subhas Chandra Bose?

They will come to see a film based on the mystery... on the disappearance. People want to know the answer, to solve the mystery.

How was it working with Srijit, Prosenjit and Tnusree?

I love working with Srijitda. It’s my fifth film with him. And all the five characters were different from each other, from characterisation to age. That is the reason I like working with him... as an actor what more can I ask? I want to be as versatile as possible. On the set, he is very particular. He is very hardworking. He has no confusion with what he wants... his vision is very clear.

Bumbada is like an umbrella. This is my first film with him. In this film I don’t have too many scenes with him but I am happy that I play an important character in a film that has Bumbada playing Netaji. He’s a wonderful man, a nice guide... an elder brother to say. Great experience working with Tnusree. I have worked with her in Durga Sohay. We used to tell each other that we didn’t get a chance to work together after Durga Sohay. Thanks to Srijit Mukherji, we are working again.

You have been a scene-stealer in many films...

I don’t view acting in that manner. For example, many people are talking about Manoj Bajpayee stealing the show in The Family Man. When everyone contributes his/her best, the project is bound to be successful. In The Godfather, you had Marlon Brando, Al Pacino and Robert Duvall. It’s a stellar cast. Back home... in the golden era of Bengali films, you had actors like Uttam Kumar and Rabi Ghosh in one frame. Or people like Bhanu Bandopadhyay and Utpal Dutt. Or Pahari Sanyal, Chhabi Biswas. Those were the best times in Bengali films — so many accomplished actors working together.

I always believe that if worthy and qualified people are critical of my work, then I would like to learn from them... it’s better than success going to your head. I would rather learn from mistakes. But nowadays, criticism is like a non-salaried job. Everyone is a critic now on Facebook and Twitter.

Any takeaway moment from the film?

We shot at Mahajati Sadan for three days. It was a massive volume of shoot. It was difficult for the team too. But it was very enjoyable. We sort of forgot to rest or eat sometimes. Those three days were all about positive energy.

What are your upcoming projects?

After Gumnaami, Aparna Sen’s Ghare Baire Aaj is scheduled to release in November. After Puja, I start shooting for Srijitda’s next. Plus I will be shooting for Hoichoi’s Byomkesh series. On the theatre front, I completed Utpal Dutt’s Titumir. I have been working on a play for some time now... Bertolt Brecht’s Mr Puntila and his Man Matti. The adaptation is called Pontu Laha 2.0. I am directing it and I have a small role in it as well.