Rajatava Dutta now essays the role of 'Jom Raja' in romcom

Strongly reacting to be equated with his genie's role in 'Aschorjo Prodip' (Magic Lamp), Rajatava, who enacts a corporate style 'Jom Raja'  in suit and laptop, says, "I had turned up in 100 films since Aschorjo Prodip two years back. Why don't you refer them!"

Rajatava, who confirms having inhaled the influences of actors like Utpal Dutt and Santosh Datta among other stalwarts to name a few in his acting career, says he retains the traces of all stalwarts whose works he had seen but in a non-direct, understated manner.

"It is like being a journalist you must have read a number of classics. And when you become a writer will you ape one's style or you had been enriched by the different literary fragrances of all,?" he aks.

Coming to 'Jomer Raja Dilo Bar', made by debutante director Abir Sengupta, he says the film certainly inherits from 'Goopy Gyne Bagha Byne' to 'Jamalayee Jibonto Manush' to 'Sabitri Satyaban' - all epochal films defining various phases of the golden phase of popular Bengali cinema, but will still be contemporary.

Rajatava, having been part of many masala entertainers in his decades-long career, admits many films of that genre did not see success.

"Perhaps the tested method of copying and indigenising from south films are not connecting with the audiences any more. Since there is no set rules, definitely there will be some new formula in near future which will appear fresh to our masses who form the crux of cinema," the archetypal villain in 'masala' Tollywood films says.

However, with the coming up of multiplex audience in urban areas, films like 'Jomer Raja Dilo Bar' having surrealism and fantasy elements have more chances to click with its targetted audience, he says.

"In 15 years a section of the audience taste has evolved," he says.

Rajatava, who is a product of theatre, says stage always helps in learning the basic grammar.

"However there had been big time actors having no theatre background," he adds.

Produced by Pramod Films and Anushree Mehta, Jomer Raja Dilo Bar hits the screens in September this year.