'I waited for my love to return': Debchandrima Singha Roy connects to 'Palash' at personal level

Q. Like what has been shown in the music video, did you have any experience of love which spanned years?

A. It would be a lie if I deny. I experienced love first in school life. The love didn’t last but the feelings for the person lingered for five years. I couldn’t liberate myself from the attachment easily. Though a breakup always stems from a lot of conflict, a hope still remains. Though not entirely like the one shown in 'Palash', I had waited hoping for the return of the love.

Q. What was the learning experience from that phase?

A. It was damaging actually. I couldn’t get into any other relationship soon because it was not easy for me to forget the memories which were associated with the person. It becomes very difficult for me to take a back-step from a relationship because I give my entirety to it. So now I consciously think a lot before investing into someone emotionally. I try to judge whether the person would stay with me or not because I would waste a lot of years of my life in moving on otherwise. So I became conscious a lot nowadays. Unlike in younger days when I could express my feelings freely, now I take calculative steps.

Q. Tell us about the entire shooting process for this music video.

A. I was actually called by Moni-da (Mahendra Soni, producer, SVF). I instantly said 'yes'. After listening to the song and the entire concept, I found no other way but agreeing to it.

Q. How was the feeling to be featured in a project completely centred on you?

A. It was not the first time though because daily soaps are all female-oriented. Of course male protagonists are there in small screen projects. Yes, in Palash, there is no one except me, who waits for her love. It was definitely a great feeling to get prioritised in a project. But sometimes we actors crave for co-actors because competition improves our performances. It would be monotonous if all projects are centred on me.

Q. How did television shape you or help you in your professional growth?

A. Television is the best medium for learning. We tend to improve on anything if we practice it on a daily basis. Television gives us the opportunity to act everyday which in a way improves us. Small screens helped me a lot considering I had no filmy or theatre background. My confidence level has also grown working for small screens.

Q. You are working on all media presently. Was it a conscious approach to expand?

A. I have started from scratch. I hail from Singur, which is a rural area. I had no contacts in the industry and no knowledge of how things work here. I just had the zeal to improve. I never wanted to be in my comfort zone. I wanted myself to push myself. I feel growth ends if the hunger for work dies. I worked on television because I wanted to learn basic acting and prove myself. Television gave me confidence to expand. I always had the planning.

Q. Was there any moment when you felt depressed?

A. I have never been depressed because I think about every aspect differently. I don’t have any regrets because I give my 100 percent to everything I did. If I fail to achieve something despite all my efforts, then definitely it was not in my destiny. I would have achieved a lot in other fields if I had given so much to my studies like the one I have given to my acting career (laughs). I have given my life to acting because I love it. I have no complaints of working even over shifts.

Q. Do you think not giving enough to studies brought you closer to acting?

A. I never had an ambition to do a regular job after studying. So I never thought of it. My sole aim was to venture into the film industry somehow, be it through modelling or acting. I would have felt incomplete if I couldn't get into acting. The only regret which probably I have is that I couldn’t complete my Engineering course because of my hectic television schedule.

Q. Did having no backup plan help you?

A. It might be a possibility. I had a fixed focus. I never thought of any other option. Since I had no other option, maybe I had given my entire effort to make this career successful.

Q. You are all set for your big screen debut. How does it feel?

A. I am feeling proud of myself because I had started from scratch. It is a dream come true for me. I will try to deliver more than whatever is expected of me.

Q. Do you intend to focus completely on films and bid adieu to TV?

A. It is very difficult to say. Not everything will happen as per my wish. I am looking forward to working on OTT and films. I don’t have any plans on television presently. Rest all depends on my destiny.

(Images by Avishek Mitra/IBNS)