Birthdays are meant for epic celebrations but Susmita Chatterjee sees it as a time for introspection. Fond memories bring happiness. “I remember giving chocolates, cakes, pencils, erasers, glitter pens, bags and more to my whole class during my school life. Every year my parents used to do that on my special day and that’s what I will never forget because my classmates used to get very excited for my birthday as they knew that it was their gift time of the year,” smiles Susmita, who turns a year younger today. A t2 chat.

Happy birthday! What are your birthday plans?

I am a spiritual/ religious person. I am very fortunate that the festival of Dev Deepawali is being celebrated this time. So I’ll be in Varanasi on November 15 for Dev Deepawali.

Tell us more about your spiritual side.

I have always been a believer... in the last couple of years, I have felt more connected to Shiva. The treasure of experience that we carry from the past has taken me on a spiritual path. Over time this has inspired me to look within and discover the core of my being. Whenever I have gone through the lows of life, I feel Shiva has always guided and helped me. Whenever I offer puja in a temple, I feel very positive and calm... I feel at peace. At times, the whole experience feels very surreal. I get emotional. I feel connected to a higher power.

You have signed a multilingual film that will be shot in Canada...

Yes! It is called What The Fish, and it will be dubbed in several languages. It is an emotional thriller and I play a spy in the film. I loved the look and feel of the film, which has a lot of action and emotional scenes. It is a great opportunity for me and I am really excited to start the shoot. Also, I am giving auditions for more Hindi films.

How was the year for you? What were the major changes in your life and career?

I have started working in Mumbai. I keep on travelling. I have been doing advertisements for national brands. I have taken the first step. People in Mumbai have told me that if I have to work more on national projects then I have to stay there. I love the place; it is a city of dreams. Mumbai is always awake. Everyone is busy in their own lives. I love this fast pace of life. And there is so much to explore.

Talking about changes, have you made any decisions about your social circle?

I am friendly with everyone... but I maintain a distance as well so that nothing affects me. It gets very difficult for me since I am an emotional person. I don’t want to end up getting hurt. Talking about major changes in life in 2024, my name has not appeared in any gossip column till now (laughs out loud). That is a huge relief and a surprise. Things were quite different in the last couple of years when my name would appear in the gossip columns almost regularly. But this year has been different! My name has been left out of the gossip columns and I am really thankful for that. I want to be known for my work.

Do you set goals for yourself on your birthday?

I set goals every day. I try to be a better person in life. I am way too emotional and sometimes it hits me hard. I want to be more practical in life so that the tough situations around me don’t affect me at all.

From now on, would you like to strike a balance between Bengali films and national projects from Mumbai?

I will balance both and look for films that have great content or a character that makes an impact. As an actress, I am evolving.

Do the Zodiac traits work for you?

Definitely. I am a true Scorpion and I am passionate, determined, brave, extremely honest, ambitious, mysterious and more.

You have worked with some of the best in the industry. How fortunate do you feel about that?

I feel superbly blessed to get the opportunity to work with such great people at this early stage of my career. God has been kind. I am learning something every day. Experience makes a lot of difference in life. Also, you get to know people if you are really close or else it’s all a different world from outside. The love and support of my fans keep me motivated and really help me in my growth.

You mentioned going through heartbreaks. How have those experiences changed you?

I have become more calm and I have stopped reacting. The more I used to react, the more I used to get hurt. I realised that loving yourself and being kind is the key to a happy life. In 2021, I was way more innocent and I used to think with my heart all the time. But now I am definitely wiser and a little bit more mature than before. Though I am still the same emotional person inside but I don’t show it much.

What kind of films would you like to do next year?

I would love to do films which will give me a step up, where I can prove myself more as an actor.

What’s the one change you would like to see in Tollywood next year?

I would love to see more and more films happening in Tollywood and cinema halls full of people!