For Koushani Mukherjee, Shiboprosad Mukherjee-Nandita Roy’s Bohurupi marks a new phase in her acting career. Koushani talked to us about how she bagged the role, shooting the song Dakatiya Bashi and her future plans.

Tell us how Bohurupi came to you…

Koushani Mukherjee: One afternoon I got a call from Shibuda (Shiboprosad Mukherjee) asking me to drop by their office. When I went to their office, they told me about Bohurupi and said they had been dreaming of making this film for 12 years. Me being a vital part of this project, working opposite Shiboprosad Mukherjee… I was in utter disbelief.

We started doing workshops that were more about getting to know each other, knowing the cast; there were conversations and addas. Shibuda believes that if a team has a good comfort level and strong communication, working with each other becomes very easy.

We went to Bolpur to shoot the film. Bohurupi means ‘bohu rup’. When I was dressed up as Bohurupi, I didn’t even want to see myself in the mirror. He had taken me to the streets of Kolkata and I became so self-conscious as everyone knew me as Koushani.

I remember there were people passing by us smiling but not knowing who we were and that is what Bohurupis are supposed to do — make people smile. I started getting comfortable as the character. Jhimli is one of the toughest characters I have played. I gave this film all that I had learnt in the last nine years of my career.

Did you resonate with Jhimli?

Koushani Mukherjee: Jhimli has different shades in the film. Jhimli before marriage, as Bohurupi and Jhimli after marriage are very different people. I related more to Jhimli before marriage — she is a pickpocket; she behaves like a thug. Jhimli after marriage is a totally mature, responsible person. There are struggles in her life that any woman goes through. This is something that I haven’t faced yet and it was a learning through the character.

Everybody is loving you in the Dakatiya Bashi song. Tell us your experience of shooting the song…

Koushani Mukherjee: It was shot in Bolpur and in the village where the Bohurupis live. We wanted to represent the village as my character lives there. Dakatiya Bashi was shot in seven hours, which was quite challenging.

What was special about being directed by Shiboprosad and Nandita Roy?

Koushani Mukherjee: It was my dream to work with them. I always wanted to be a part of a Windows Productions film. When Brahma Janen Gopon Kommoti released, hardly anyone was doing such female-oriented projects in Bengal. I wished I could have played the main character.

Shibuda and Nanditadi are very particular about everything. They believe in detailing. They are very particular about their dubbing, for instance, where they make sure each and every line is delivered perfectly. Everything is done with care and creativity.

Shiboprosad the actor or director — who would you rate higher?

Koushani Mukherjee: I interacted with Shibuda the actor more than the director as Nanditadi directed most of our scenes. Whenever there was a cut, Shibuda would go back to the director’s chair and give his opinions. He gives actors the space to be themselves. When a director allows an actor to see the character through their eyes, there is a greater comfort level and that is something that I got in abundance.

Shibuda is a commendable actor and yet he tries to learn something from everyone. There’s so much to learn from him too. There were a lot of romantic scenes in Bohurupi, so there had to be a friendship and comfort level between the two of us.

What type of scripts and projects do you want to take up now?

Koushani Mukherjee: I have been very selective about scripts after Abar Proloy. The character has to be challenging and something new for me. I have decided to do maybe two films a year but that will have to leave a mark. I just can’t do a film just because I have to do a film. It has to be meaningful. It took me seven months to crack Bohurupi after Abar Proloy. There were a lot of offers but most of them wanted me to become a glamorous prop.

What are your future plans?

Koushani Mukherjee: On a professional level, I want to do good work. On the personal front, I want to take some time as this is my rebirth in the industry as an actor. After that, marriage is on the cards. I also want to have a family of my own.