An upbeat, vibrant Jaani naa maane booms through the speakers in Usha Uthup’s signature voice. A charismatic Shantanu Maheshwari breaks into his effortless moves on the wooden floor at Salt Lake’s Five Mad Men, which on other days serves as a dance floor for numerous partygoers. His every move, fluid and deft, is a testament to years of dedicated practice. He ends his routine with a flourish and the spotlight shifts to Tota who is looking dapper in a crisp white shirt and blue denims. The man who was once known for his break dancing back at St. Xavier’s during his college days and rose to national prominence for his graceful moves in Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahani, is back at it! As the music picks up, Tota and Shantanu lock eyes, a silent challenge passing between them. The dance floor becomes their battleground, a friendly duel of styles and techniques. For 45 seconds, the world fades away, and all that remains is the dance, the music, and the unbreakable bond of friendship.
The Mumbai-based lead choreographer, Palki Malhotra approaches the actors to check on a few moves and decides on a retake. “It has to look natural,” she says. Meanwhile, I spot the director of Chaalchitro — The Frame Fatale, Pratim D. Gupta right in front of the stage. His eyes filled with a sense of happiness, watching the dance battle unfold. “We decided to shoot a video for this song when our release got postponed to Christmas. The song, composed by Debojyoti Mishra and sung by Usha Uthup was already there to add a touch of entertainment through a dance number. You know it is so interesting that such a legendary duo has created the song and then there’s Tota and Shantanu, two very talented individuals, performing in the video. Generations of artistes are coming together! Ritam, who has penned all three songs of the film, is behind the lyrics of this one too. I have written the Hindi lines of this one,” he says.
The set is a whirlwind of activity, a bustling nightclub scene filled with the clinking of glasses, the murmur of conversations, and the pulsating beat of the music. Bartenders expertly serve cocktails, and partygoers sway to the rhythm while conversing among themselves, lost in the moment.
At the heart of this energetic atmosphere are Tota and Shantanu, who play the role of two seasoned detectives known for their knack for solving the city’s toughest cases. Tonight, however, they are shedding their serious personas and embracing the thrill of the dance floor. As Tota gets a break, I approach him, and he flashes a familiar smile. Charming. Despite the flurry of makeup artistes and junior actors in the room, his focus remains unwavered.
“Pratim has always told very interesting stories, be it in Bengali or Hindi. With the Bengali stories, he has a very good grasp on the sensibilities of Calcutta and that reflects on Chaalchitro – The Frame Fatale as well. This story is as Calcutta as it gets and yet has a national appeal because these are very real characters. I love Pratim’s characters who are not very esoteric, they’re flesh and blood, and they’re relatable. Over the last few years, I have tried to relate to the characters I play on some level. When Pratim approached me with the script, he told me he had a vision and I just fit in that. The film will always be very close to my heart,” said Tota.
Chaalchitro The Frame Fatale film shoot at Five Mad Man,Sector v on 12.11.2024.
Speaking about his experience of working with Shantanu, Tota said, “Shantanu and I have a lot of common experiences. We have both worked with Pratim, Alia Bhatt and Neeraj Pandey. So, there were several common grounds. He is an excellent performer and it has been such a pleasure working with him. Now, he is easily one of the best dancers we have today and I was a little sceptical about dancing with him. But it has been a lovely experience!”
Shantanu, who grew up in Calcutta and went to Park English School, is ticking off “starring in a Bengali film” from his to-do list with Chaalchitro. “I have worked with Pratim Sir in Tooth Pari: When Love Bites earlier. One day he just told me that he wanted me to go through something he had written. I really liked the story of Chaalchitro when I first read it. Hair was another thing that we had to navigate through since I have long hair but cops have to be more disciplined. I have sported short hair in the film. My character, Ritesh was very well-written. Doing something in a language which I know but I am not fluent in, is a challenge on its own. I understand the language but I am out of practice in Mumbai. Working in Bengali cinema was something I really wanted to do because I still see Calcutta as my hometown and I wanted to do something here. I am very happy that Chaalchitro came to me,” said Shantanu, who grew up in north Calcutta.
“Tota and I have several common grounds including growing up in north Calcutta and the dance background. It was lovely working with him because he is such a humble person with an immense body of work. His fitness, skills are amazing and he is so grounded. Working with him is inspiring because he has seen decades of change in the industry,” he added.
Talking about returning home to Calcutta, he said, “While shooting for the film I discovered locations in Calcutta which I did not even know about! I relish the food here, all of it! I cannot have sweets because of lactose intolerance but I try and eat as much as I can when I am here. Just now I asked them to get me aloor chop, beguni and peyanji. I want to munch on them just with muri! Even though I was nervous about speaking Bengali naturally and nailing a certain dialect, I pushed myself to do it. It was a very fun experience to shoot in Calcutta.”
Chaalchitro — The Frame Fatale is set to release in cinemas on December 20.
