Actor Bonny Sengupta talks about the challenges of playing a Rajasthani boy in Daal Baati Churma and picking a family comedy to launch his new production house with Koushani Mukherjee.

You have started your own production house, BK Entertainments, with Koushani Mukherjee. What is the idea behind it?

Bonny Sengupta: Both Koushani and I were getting the same kind of roles. We wanted to experiment and do something new. We want to make films that the audience can enjoy. We took the initiative and went ahead with our friend Ravi Bhalotia. The three of us decided to make films for our production house.

What did you like about the story of Daal Baati Churma that you decided to produce it?

Bonny Sengupta: We decided to do a film that revolves around two families. We wanted it to be funny. Haranathda (Chakraborty) told us that Padmanabha Dasgupta had a script that matched the brief we gave him. When we heard the story, we all laughed out loud. We got a few Hindi-speaking people to listen to the story and they were laughing as well. The film targets both the Bengali- and Hindi-speaking audiences. This was the perfect script for us to proceed with our first production. Haranath Chakraborty knows how to handle family emotions. He is the only person who could direct the film.

You play a Rajasthani boy in the film. What was your preparation process like?

Bonny Sengupta: I got very excited that I would be playing a Hindi-speaking boy in Daal Baati Churma because I look like a Bong guy. People love me for my cute Bengali boy-next-door face. I had to shift myself from that. It was a challenge. I had to speak in a different accent and a different language.

Our friend and partner Ravi Bhalotia is Rajasthani. He helped me a lot with this. He used to correct my dialogues on the set. I used to be mentally prepared to say a whole line in Hindi. My character has lived in Kolkata for a long time. He knows some Bengali, so I had to speak in amateurish Bangla. That was very difficult!

What are your fondest memories of shooting in Rajasthan?

Bonny Sengupta: We shot in Rajasthan for three to four days and it was fun as the whole team was with us. We had Daal Baati Churma almost every day.

We also had a headache as producers; since it’s our production, we had to make sure everyone was comfortable and everything was in place. Becoming a producer comes with a lot of responsibilities and pressure. Thinking about making a film is okay, but the process of making a film is difficult and releasing that film is super difficult.

How was your experience of working with Haranath Chakraborty?

Bonny Sengupta: This is the second time I worked with him, after Bhootchakra PVT LTD. Haranathda is very organised. He is extremely particular about his shots. He doesn’t like taking extra shots. He’s very fast and he knows how to get his job done. He’s also extremely hardworking. When we used to get tired, he would boost us up. His energy was motivating.

You have around seven-eight films lined up this year…

Bonny Sengupta: Yes. I did a lot of films last year. This year I’ve decided to slow down, choose scripts very wisely and do fewer films. This year I’ll give more time to myself. I love playing cricket. I have started playing it.

You started working as an assistant director. How has that shaped you as an actor and a producer?

Bonny: As an actor, it has helped me a lot. I got to know the technicalities, the shot taking, framing and lights. As an actor I am well informed because I know exactly where to stand, how not to guard the light, or how not to overlap other characters.

As a producer, it helped me to have an idea about the film’s scheduling. I know if there’s a scene over two pages, it’s going to take one-and-a-half to two hours to complete. It helped me plan things properly.

From Borbaad to Dal Bati Churma, how have you evolved as an actor?

Bonny: Some people say that you learn acting, I don’t think you can. You will have to adapt to acting. The process has changed. I observe a lot. I feel every person is a character. I keep observing how people behave.

My character Joy in my first film Borbaad and Anand in Dal Bati Churma are two completely different roles. In between, I’ve played more difficult roles. I hope to play more challenging characters.

What’s next for you?

Bonny Sengupta: We’re deciding on the next script for our production house. We might do a web series. We want to do quality work. My next release as an actor is Archier Gallery with Ayoshi Talukdar.