Prosenjit and Ditipriya Roy, who star in the film Aay Khuku Aay, recently dropped by Oudh 1590 near Vivekananda Park for a special lunch titled Khukur Shaathe Biryani. The lunch was hosted by Oudh. The Telegraph chat.
Tell us about your connect with Oudh 1590 and brothers Shiladitya and Debaditya Chaudhury?
Prosenjit: I know them since the 1980s. They have seen my journey... at that time I was shooting for very long hours, every day... I would step out around 7am and return home from shoot around 2am or 3am. It’s great to see the rise of the two brothers, how they have developed the business and made the restaurant chains so popular. Their business has flourished. I enjoy the kebabs from Oudh. The interiors are lovely. The biryani here is fantastic. The starters are also really nice.
Some of the recent Bengali films are breaking the mould by giving out a social message. They are tackling various social issues. Why is this happening?
Prosenjit: The best part is that people are going to the theatres to watch Bengali films. There is a constant discussion. Film-makers across the world are making movies that give a social message; some do it directly while others are more subtle. Cinema is an effective medium to inculcate awareness among people and create a healthy society. People can relate to this. Films are now dealing with topics or protagonists who have their own struggles, and they are doing it for their family. Just the way it happens in our film.
Ditipriya: Getting to play his daughter was a huge thing for me. Through the shoot I got to know him better, someone who is so down to earth. For me, Prosenjit Chatterjee is an emotion. We all look up to him. I was the happiest person when I got to know about Aay Khuku Aay. Of course, there was that initial nervousness... the best part was that he had seen my work before. I was so overwhelmed.
Do you enjoy a biryani or a rezala now?
Prosenjit: There was a time when my father would take the chaanp from Royal to Bombay... I would enjoy biryani, chaanp, rezala, everything, maybe 20 years ago. And we all know biryani is an emotion for many, especially the youth.
Ditipriya: Biryani is one of my favourites. I also love Continental food. I really like the kebabs and biryani in Oudh. And the ambience.
Prosenjit: We, as actors, have to follow a strict diet. And we have learnt to say no. And even if an actor has a cheat day and enjoys a biryani or something else, it’s important to know how to burn it off. When my sister cooks and invites me over, I go and enjoy the meal. I’ll probably taste a few things. The portions are less. Next day, I’ll inform my trainer and work out accordingly. I avoid oil.
Ditipriya, what did you learn from Bumbada during the shoot of the film?
Ditipriya: Every day I learnt something or the other by just observing him. His discipline, dedication towards his work and the level of patience is tremendous. He is so cool and calm, and handles all kinds of situations smoothly. There was a day when things took a while to start rolling. But he was so patient.
The film title references an iconic Bengali song. Why have this as the title?
Prosenjit: We grew up on this song. And whenever this song is played, Bengali fathers and daughters can connect with it. It’s an ode to them. And when you have this song as the film title, the communication becomes really easy; people know it’s a film about a father and daughter. The song makes you nostalgic and emotional.
On The Menu
BLAST FROM THE PAST
I still remember that day... I was in Class V, and a piece of news spread in our neighbourhood... that Prosenjit will be staying in the house opposite ours in Garcha. Soon I met him and a very special bond was formed. His film Duti Pata had just released then. He was so dedicated and disciplined... and we saw all of that from close quarters. He would hone his acting skills in that house, and practise his fight and dance moves. I would go there and watch him immerse himself in the craft of acting. We had a great time. Then he signed Amar Sangi. And once that film released, we saw his fame and popularity skyrocket. Students from a nearby college would crowd the lane and stand in front of the house waiting for him to step out. They would ask me about his whereabouts. The postman would come and deliver 400 fan mails every day. Often I would read them out to him. We would hear stories from his film shoots. One day Bumbada told us that he was going to Bombay to shoot for a Hindi film, called Aandhiyan. We were really excited. Bumbada lived in that house till the early 1990s. For us, he is a boy-next-door. He is so warm, genuine and down to earth. We have some amazing memories. Bumbada has another connect with Oudh... it is designed by Nitish Roy, who had directed Bumbada in Ek Poshla Brishti.
— Shiladitya Chaudhury
Pictures: Rashbehari Das