In the film Surjo (directed by Shieladitya Moulik), the eponymous character (played by Vikram Chatterjee) is like a guardian angel. He touches the lives of people around him and makes their wishes come true. Uma, fleeing an unwanted marriage, discovers a graphic novel in her new shabby apartment, once occupied by Surjo. Intrigued by the unfinished story of Surjo’s adventures, she traces his steps. A t2 chat with Vikram.
These days people are obsessed with box-office figures. Now that your film is releasing, does it put extra pressure on you to deliver the numbers in the first three days?
I want to ensure that my audience enjoys a film and recommends it to other people. Rather than fighting over numbers on social media, our priority should be to regain the confidence, love and respect of our audiences back again. We must make films that would bring in a larger audience to the theatres. We should not be restricted to the city audience. The box-office figures are important... but are they anywhere close to what the real figures are? What is the authenticity? Who is the source?
A lot of other regional industries have been doing very good work in the past few years. When I was growing up, a large part of the audience would look down upon the Malayalam film industry because of the content they would churn out then... that was in the 1990s. Now, the Malayalam film industry is one of the most respected film industries... they have delivered amazing films in the last 10 years. They have taken such a huge leap as an industry. The way they have changed the perception is remarkable.
Meanwhile, Bangla cinema has always been looked upon as the most culturally rich industry with brilliant filmmakers and great taste in cinema... there has been immense emotional maturity in treating subjects and characters. This year has been exceptional for Bangla cinema. Filmmakers have delivered a different kind of cinema... directors and producers are taking a chance... they are making cinema that will make our audiences curious all over again. This will bring in a new set of audience to our films. The younger generation will find interest in watching our films all over again.
In the past, whatever started working, we grinded it, till the point the audience rejected it. There was a situation when our audience rejected the remakes of mass-driven commercial cinema from the South. We must realise that there has to be a healthy mix and match of genres. Cinema is an expensive form of art. Producers need to recover their money to make films again.
I did a film called Khoj in 2017. It was not a box-office success. But somewhere down the line, the film has grown over the years.
You speak about a film growing through word of mouth and people recommending it. Something similar happened with your film Shohorer Ushnotomo Dine...
Exactly. It was not a huge release. But that film went on to become one of the most prominent hits of the year. I want to stick to making films that people would like to watch. That is the only way I can remain relevant as a leading actor.
What made you say ‘yes’ to Surjo?
The soul of the film. It is all about hope. I play a character whose priority in life is to spread happiness and joy. That fascinated me. The film speaks about hope, positivity and a better tomorrow. The treatment is very light-hearted. People will enjoy the film and leave the theatres with a smile. The character itself is very magical.
Is it a remake of the Malayalam film Charlie?
It is an official adaptation of Maara and Deva. The producers had bought all-language rights to the film Charlie; they made the film in two other languages (Marathi and Tamil). Surjo is the Bengali adaptation. Surjo has been made keeping the Bengali culture and sentiment in mind. We have tried to adapt it as per our taste and culture.
Did you watch Charlie before the shoot of Surjo?
No. I first watched Charlie in 2016. I have been watching Malayalam cinema right from its rise. Of course, I did not know then that it would be made in Bengali. I watched it as an audience back then. I really liked it. Then in 2022, I was approached for Surjo. In my first conversation with Shieladityada, I told him that I would like to play the character in my way. We made our own film. So, I did not watch the film again. That was a good thing to do.
Tell us about your character...
He is actually a mystery man. Madhumita Sarcar’s character moves to a place where no one knows her... she is in search of finding herself. That is where she comes across stories of a man who is supposed to be a messiah for a lot of people.
In its essence does your character in Surjo bear any resemblance to the character you had played in Pariah?
Yes, there is an uncanny similarity... but only in the basic essence of what they are trying to do in life... otherwise, they are completely different. In Pariah, my character was very brooding. In Surjo my character is light-hearted; he is jovial and he is trying to make others around him happy. He provides a ray of hope. We shot a large part of the film in Arunachal Pradesh and a happier side of me comes out in the mountains. We shot the film during the monsoon. The rains made it a lot more challenging. But the visuals have come out great... it is very soothing to the eyes. We could capture the lush green because of the monsoon.
The film is supposed to feel light on your eyes. It is supposed to calm you down.
There will be comparisons with the other versions. How do you plan to deal with it?
If the film connects with the audience, if they find an emotional connection, then the film will work. Comparisons are inevitable. Even if you make the best film, there will be a few people who will nitpick. I would focus on the positive feedback. I am very happy with Surjo; I am very happy with the way we shot the film. We have to understand what kind of limitations we have as an industry; the kind of budgets we work with; the number of shooting dates we get for a film.
What can the audience expect from the film?
The film deals with a complicated subject... of well-being, societal pressures... and still being able to live your life with a smile. This is the hope that the film speaks about. The film has an immense sense of innocence and simplicity that has been missing from our films for a while now.