Theatre is a part of Surangana Bandopadhyay’s preparation process for whichever character she takes up. With a lot of appreciation coming her way for her portrayal of a possessed girl in the Hoichoi series Parnashavarir Shaap, Surangana spoke to us about the challenges she faced, being directed by Parambrata Chattopadhyay and her friendship with Riddhi Sen.

Mitul in Parnashavarir Shaap is poles apart from Chanda Halder in Ballabhpurer Roopkotha.

Surangana: Yes, the characters are drastically different. That is the best part of being an actor. We get to work on different characters without facing the consequences of their lives. I was extremely happy that Param-da (Parambrata Chattopadhyay) trusted me with the character of Mitul. For Mitul, he wanted an innocent face that would transform with the possession. The contrast was important.

How has it been working with Parambrata Chattopadhyay the director?

Surangana: I have worked with Param-da before and I have always admired him. He is a super sorted director, extremely calm and organised but at the same time leaves scope for improvisation. He is extremely comfortable to work with and is very approachable. And no matter how many constraints or how much pressure a project is under, he never lets his actors feel that.

What was the most challenging part about playing a possessed person? What went behind creating your look in Parnashavarir Shaap?

Surangana: I would like to thank makeup artist Sandeep Neogy for creating Mitul’s look. To make such a character convincing, the look has to be convincing first.

The most challenging part for me was to figure out a voice that is convincing and stick with it. Because after hours of shooting, your voice breaks completely. Another challenge was not to ignore the character before the possession. Because if I kept focusing on just the scenes where my character is possessed and worked on that, chances are I would have ignored the rest of the scenes where the character is actually present.

What was your preparation process like? Your character sort of starts speaking in Nepali when possessed.

Surangana: I talked to the Nepali actor who played Pema in the series Mabo Hang, and tried to figure out the exact intonation and throw of my lines. I had fun learning that. I am glad I got to work with Nabarun-da (Bose, music director) for this series and sing a beautiful Nepali folk song.

I think what helped me with the preparation process was my general love for the horror genre. All the films that I have watched were there at the back of my mind. But I did what I felt like Mitul might do and followed what Paramda had imagined of Mitul. Theatre has been a part of my preparation process too. I have become way more confident since I started acting on stage.

How has the journey been so far? Do you analyse yourself?

Surangana: The journey has been enriching. I am so thankful for every opportunity I got. I over-analyse and critique myself and that becomes a problem sometimes but I guess that’s important too to improve.

Do you remember the time when you bagged your first film?

Surangana: I was very young, probably nine or ten years old. I remember running to the shoot just to have a different experience. I didn’t know what acting was but I knew it’s something creative that would help me bunk school for a day. I didn’t know I would grow to love the craft and be fascinated by it so much.

Your music is an integral part of your persona…

Surangana: I have just come back after touring as a singer in the US with Avidio (Sougato Chatterjee) and that has been a fantastic experience. Everything we experience helps us change and grow, and that affects our craft too. The fact that I could manage to perform in a different place in front of a different audience will, I believe, help me as an actor too if I know what to learn and take back from the experience. I am glad I am getting to do all that I love and I am trying my best to improve.

Your relationship with Riddhi Sen started when you did Open Tee Bioscope in 2015. Both of you have come a long way since...

Surangana: Yes. That is something so precious that at times I don’t even know what to say. Riddhi has helped me become the person that I am. The fact that I can confidently go out and do my work, talk confidently and work on my craft is because of him. He has pushed me. It’s a blessing to have a friend and an artist like him to always inspire you. He is always studying and that’s infectious. Even my master’s degree couldn’t make me study what Riddhi did by simply being there and sharing what he has been reading. He is truly an artist.

What are you working on next?

Surangana: Suman Mukhopadhyay’s Putul Nacher Itikatha is yet to be released. There are some songs, both singles and playback for films, which I have recorded. And one can only wait for interesting opportunities to arrive.