Arpita Chatterjee has been getting a lot of praise for her performance in Abyakto (directed by Arjunn Dutta) at various national and international film festivals. The film releases today. The Telegraph chats with Arpita at Pancham er Adday in Hindustan Park...

What drew you to Abyakto?

I really liked the story and my role… I was playing a character both in her 30s and 50s, and you don’t get to do that often. It was an actor’s delight… it was very challenging. Arjunn’s specialty is his simplicity… in the way he tells the story… that really attracted me. And it is a rare quality… we are going through a complicated time and we have somehow, without our knowing, become complicated as well. Arjunn has managed to keep the simplicity — through his writing and direction — in his work, which is really difficult to pull off in today’s time.

Tell us about your character in Abyakto…

I play a housewife in a north Calcutta household and her life revolves around her child. It is like the boy is the only reason for her existence. The film covers a span of 20 years. The way the story unfolds is really interesting. She used to sing really well, she was a trained classical singer… she could have had a career as a singer. After the birth of her child, her son became everything to her… he was her world.

How did the inter-personal relationship depicted in Abyakto resonate with you?

On a subliminal level, I am sure I connected with the story since it is about a mother and her son. But when you are emoting, you do not think like that.

I feel everyone needs space. If I hold on to someone really tight or cling on to someone, that person will invariably move away from me. My parents were really protective… and possessive… about me. Even when I had started working… both modelling and acting… my father would drop me off … and then come back later once the shoot got over. I never went there on my own. Later my mother would accompany me to my shoots. She was very involved. I had studied in a girl’s school and college… I remember my father was like a shadow on a day I would step out with my friends, for example on Saraswati Puja. I must have been in Class IX or Class X. I felt quite embarrassed.

My friends felt awkward then. Since I had gone through that phase, I always make it a point to give my son (Trishanjit) a lot of space. I try to be his friend.

With the passage of time, the equation between a mother and son also changes. How you deal with a situation when he is a kid and when he is an adolescent has to be different. This I have realised. As a parent I am liberal, and that is a conscious decision.

How did you come out of your parents’ shadow? Was it your marriage?

Yes, that was my decision.

How was it like working with Adil Hussain in Abyakto?

I had a wonderful experience working with Adil. He is so down to earth. And whatever I got to know about this person during the shoot is fascinating… the way he thinks, perceives things, his philosophy....

Abyakto has travelled the festival circuit and your performance drew a lot of acclaim. You also got a lot of praise for your performance in Bohomaan. Does it feel good to be back in the thick of things? Do you want to do more films now?

I am really fortunate… I have never really put any extra effort to get movies. They have always come to me… maybe because I have been very honest about my work. I was shooting for Hridpindo and Guldaasta simultaneously. It was a crazy schedule. I was constantly thinking whether I was being truthful and honest to the characters. This happened for the first time in my life… I was shooting for two different films on the same day. Both were such difficult characters.

After the shoot got over of both the films, I said no to four films. I can work really hard… I can give my everything to a role. But I cannot be dishonest to my work. People started thinking that I had gone into the ‘no’ mode! Which was not the case. Don’t you feel if one sees me so frequently in films taratari phuriye jabo? Earlier, people would be so curious about seeing their stars on screens because they knew so little about them. Now, with social media, things have changed. Many stars are so accessible now. But it is not the case with me. I am hardly present at social gatherings… or parties.

Who are the directors you would like to work with next?

I would really like to work with Goutam Ghose, Rinadi (Aparna Sen), Kaushik Ganguly and Srijit Mukherji.

You have also shown a keen interest in working with young directors…

I have always been open to the idea of working with young talent.

Would you like to direct a film?

Many people have told me this… that they see a director in me. They feel that I have that instinct. But I don’t see that yet. I love going to the sets… I really enjoy the ambience, the creative spark.

Do you feel that you belong there? On the sets?

I love it but I don’t want to restrict myself to it only. How will you become a person of substance if you do not explore other areas of your self? One can seek out elements of inspiration from everywhere. Learnings from other areas of life will definitely help me to act better as well. You have to experience life to the fullest to be more powerful as an actor… it is such an enriching experience. I face lots of situations, meet different kinds of people and personalities... and then I get to know their mindsets, characteristics. That’s how I take inputs to shape a character. I observe. The honesty reflects in one’s work.

You have quite a few releases lined up next...

Yes, Borunbabur Bondhu, Guldaasta, Hobu Chandra Raja Gobu Chandra Mantri, Hridpindo, Rifle… it’s like you are waiting for your results every month! Of course, there is anxiety... whether the audience will like the film or not. And if there is a film releasing every month then my stress levels go up (smiles). You know, I had created a branding for myself by being choosy when it came to saying yes to a film. Now, with all these films releasing back to back, I don’t know what to say! I have always taken my decisions. I have believed in them... and I have no regrets.