The filming of Indira Dhar Mukkherjee’s upcoming film Kothay Shahjahan is underway. The set in Calcutta? The over 200-year-old St. Paul’s Boarding and Day School. “This film is loosely based on true events about the disappearance of a tea estate owner. It is a love story, a thriller, and has drama, too. This is a heritage property and looks vintage. That’s the reason we are shooting here. We shot in a villa, in front of the Ganges and the Victoria Memorial, and on Park Street during Christmas. I wanted to capture the heritage beauty of Calcutta, which was once a British capital. For the tea estate scenes, we had to go to north Bengal,” said Indira about the locations of her film when t2 arrived on her set recently.
Actors Shaheb Chatterjee, Koneenica Bandyopadhyay, Sean Banerjee and Pratyusha Roslin are playing important characters in the film, produced by Prantika Productions in collaboration with the director. Koneenica, who has already completed her schedule for the film, said: “Indira narrates stories really well. She is a smart director and knows what she wants from her actors. Also, her team is full of magicians… editor Arghyakamal Mitra and the rest who she gets from Bombay. The natural location works as an advantage for her films instead of constructed sets.”
On the day of our visit, Pratyusha and Sean were acting out a scene amidst the beautiful winter blooms in the garden of St. Paul’s premises. Indira’s team is small but was efficiently carrying out their duties with the director helming it all with an infectious energy and spirited attitude. “Shahebda, Koneenicadi and Pratyusha worked with me in my last film, which will be released later. I wanted to have an actor who is new, fresh and very classy. My friend Indroneel (Mukherjee) suggested Sean after getting to know about the character. We have not seen Sean act in any character like this before. After working with Pratyusha in my last film, I didn’t want to cast anybody else. I literally entered her life to shape her for the kind of character I needed her to play in this film,” said Indira talking about her cast.
Sharing her experience of working with Indira, Pratyusha said: “It had been my long-standing wish to work with a female director. I feel this is a well-rounded film and it is a portrayal of today’s women. It has got multiple layers which is why I loved to do this character. At times, she becomes a little eccentric. If she says we will have a pack up by 10pm, it will surely go on till 3am! But she is a go-getter. This set has taught me a lot.”
Sean, who joined the conversation, agreed with what Pratyusha shared about Indira’s set. “Indira’s set means a lot of uncertainty in the beginning but by the end of the day, we are sorted. (Laughs) She is very spontaneous. She narrated the story to me and I really liked it. All the actors in this film are very senior and being a part of this film was a kind of a workshop for me,” said Sean.
Joining the conversation, Indira shared with t2 what kind of a set she loves to give her actors. “I want my set to be very breathable and positive. But I must share that I have lost a lot of weight on this set! When I started the shoot, I started with biryani for lunch but when I saw how my actors were so fit and looking so good by eating grilled food and digestive biscuits, I changed my diet, too! (Laughs) We worked for 20 hours but they never complained. I like actors who ask me questions. That way I can do my job as a director better and bring out the best out of them,” said Indira.
Shaheb Chatterjee, who is shooting for the film in between his other shoots, said: “My character is a flamboyant person and a rich man. He is a renowned owner of a tea estate and a casanova. The character goes through a lot of transformation. Indira’s storytelling is very good. She has a hunger which I like. My character is a bit serious, but we are having fun on set and singing songs, too, in between shots.”
Talking about choosing Koneenica and Shaheb, Indira added: “It was during Green Window’s screening that I met Koneenica. She expressed her wish to work with me. I was surprised but very impressed with how she encouraged me. Shahebda, I have known since my days in Bombay. I told him that I have a character for him which will start as a firework and he superseded my expectations in this film. I aim to take Bengali films to the national level. I call myself a content creator and not a director.”
