Srijit Mukherji’s film Padatik is based on the life and times of Mrinal Sen. It depicts aspects of Mrinal Sen’s marital life, relationship with his peers like Satyajit Ray and Ritwick Ghatak, his bond with his son, his politics of cinema and many more. Going beyond standard biopic norms, Padatik portrays Sen as a filmmaker who shaped cinema’s magic with a pragmatic touch.

“Mrinal Sen was the game-changing, convention-challenging doyen of world cinema. Padatik captures his journey and looks at the fast-changing world through his eyes. Padatik also deals with the politics of his films and the way he used to react to the turbulent times around him. It is a story that will inspire people across professions,” said Srijit. Starring Chanchal Chowdhury, Monami Ghosh, Korak Samanta and more, Padatik releases today in theatres. A t2 chat with Srijit.

A moment from Padatik

How did you come up with the idea (in the trailer) where Mrinal Sen throws away a burning matchstick and in the next scene we see an explosion...

He actually lit the fire of political cinema and protest and social awareness among the youth... and that was kind of symbolic... he causes an explosion... he exploded onto the scene with Kolkata 71, with Bhuvan Shome... he exploded onto the scene with Interview. Every building block of the trailer is carefully designed.

Tell us about the last shot of the trailer where we see him as a broken man...

Not a broken man... it was the watershed moment in his life when, as a medical representative, he came back to the hotel, totally stripped himself, broke down and metamorphosised into the Mrinal Sen we know today... the uncompromising filmmaker who changed the rules of filmmaking.

You have also edited the film. Why?

I had edited Rajkahini with Pranoy. This is the first film I’ve edited on my own because it has a very complicated narrative. I had to do it myself. I had to control the rhythm of the film... to use the existing footage, to use freeze frames... it’s a complicated editing process but very fulfilling.

Why did you decide to make a classical biopic and not something that mirrored his style?

I wanted to tell his story... because he had one of the most cinematic lives of a filmmaker. His life was much more cinematic than any of his contemporaries... which is why I thought that it would make for fascinating cinema.

You had a conversation with Mrinal Sen after the release of Autograph. What did you discuss?

He was very appreciative of the fact that I did not give a moral justification for Arun Chatterjee (in Autograph) indulging in casting couch. He said that there was no God-worship or putting him up on a pedestal. He liked the fact that Arun was unapologetically grey. He also told me to keep my signature going. He told me: ‘Do not ever forsake your signature for anything. Protect your signature from all external and internal forces.’ That was very important. I met him at his house and we spoke for almost two hours.

Did he watch your 22shey Srabon?

Yes, he liked it and told me that it was a very different... very unique film. We had that conversation in Nandan. Rituda (Rituparno Ghosh) was also there.

Mrinal Sen’s Padatik was a critical film in his filmography...

Yes. It was one of the most introspective films and it was the third film in the trilogy. It kind of questioned the movement which is why many Left-leaning people got angry. It marked the beginning of the phase where his films dealt with the crisis of the middle class.

Can you relate to Mrinal Sen’s life in any way?

Yes, in many ways. He was the original #onmyownterms. That hashtag actually belongs to Mrinal Sen. He always made films on his own terms. In fact, he kept his budgets low so that he didn’t have to deal with interference from producers.

What can the audience expect from Padatik?

They can expect a wholesome, classical, traditional biopic of an international maestro who made India very proud. Mrinal Sen put Indian cinema on the world map. It is a story that will inspire people across professions. How an underdog can actually become one of the legends in the field. It is an exemplary journey.

How was your experience working with Chanchal?

I was very happy. Chanchal is outstanding. He had put in a lot of effort, a lot of homework and research. Chanchal captured the soul and the spirit of Sen brilliantly. He completely surrendered himself to me. Also, Monami is outstanding in the film. Chanchal has a reputation for being a great actor. Monami is one of the finds of the film. So is Korak.

What was your brief to Chanchal?

Mrinal Sen’s philosophy, his films, his political affinity; the phases of his life as a filmmaker, husband, and father; I gave him interviews to study and books to read. In the film, you’ll get to see Sen’s love for Calcutta; how he was as a husband and a father; his genius as a filmmaker; his indomitable spirit; how he fought the initial setback of Raatbhor and found his own voice and became a master whose name is uttered in the same breath as Satyajit Ray. This journey by itself is incredibly inspiring.

It is the story of a person who changes his career, changes jobs, hears his own calling, follows his heart, seizes his dreams and becomes a legend. It is an inspiring journey.

Only when a film has a universal, human story, will it break the barriers of a biopic of a filmmaker.

And you aimed for that?

Yes.

Did you get to discover an unknown side of Mrinal Sen?

Of course... otherwise, I would not have made the film. If a journey does not excite me, making a period film is no fun. Recreating only 10 years in the past with our resources is a hell ride. Here eight decades were recreated... of the city, country, region... you have world events happening all around.