After successful ventures like Le Chakka, Parineeta, and Dharmajuddha powerhouse actor Ritwick Chakraborty has teamed up with director Raj Chakraborty once again in the 2024 release Shontaan. We caught up with the actor to talk about his dynamic with Raj Chakraborty, playing son to Mithun Chakraborty, and his upcoming projects.
How did you come by the role of Indro in Shontaan?
Ritwick Chakraborty: One day Raj called and said he wanted to make a film with Mithun da and me. Very briefly, he mentioned the father-son dynamics and that my character had negative undertones, which seemed interesting. Mithun Chakraborty playing my father was the cherry on the cake. That is how it started.
What is your take on father-son relationships in the modern world?
Ritwick Chakraborty: Today, due to a multitude of reasons — both professional and financial — children no longer live with their parents. Urban apartments cannot sustain joint families. Thus, families have become nuclear. However, what also goes hand-in-hand is the sheer emotional indifference that foments with distance. Society plays a huge role in conditioning people to become a part of a rat race where we chase after success, we neglect not only our parents but also ourselves and do not realise who we become in the process.
My father was my hero. He was enthusiastic about my penchant for acting, and I would act in plays he and my uncle would organise in our para. We would go to the cinema together to watch Charlie Chaplin films or Goopy Gyne Bagha Byne and discuss them afterward. This cultivated my aesthetic and taste.
How was it reuniting with Raj Chakraborty once again?
Ritwick Chakraborty: Every director has his forte and Raj’s greatest strength is his capacity to understand a story and know how it will click with the audience. He is receptive to new ideas, chooses a different subject in each of his films, and believes in improvisation.
How was it working with Mithun Chakraborty?
Ritwick Chakraborty: It was difficult to learn things from a person of his stature in the short period of time we had during shooting. He’s a superstar and yet he is so grounded. That is the mark of a true star. This film is an achievement for me.
What kind of roles do you opt for?
Ritwick Chakraborty: My process of selecting a role has evolved just as I have evolved as a person. (Before selecting) I see my character, read the script, and understand what I have to offer in the film.
What’s next?
Ritwick Chakraborty: My upcoming films are Oporichito directed by Joydeep Mujherjee and Shotyi Bole Shotyi Kichhu Nei by Srijit Mukherji. Both are scheduled to come out in January. I have also worked in Bhaggyolokkhi directed by Mainak Bhaumik.
