Indrani Halder
I ensure my works have proper message to society: Actor Indrani Halder
National award-winning senior actor Indrani Halder plays a key role in Sudeep Das' Kuler Achaar, an SVF production scheduled for Jul 15 release. Ahead of the release India Blooms correspondent Souvik Ghosh catches up with Halder
"If I ever direct a film, it will be centred on a family. I will not be able to make a muder mystery," Halder says speaking to India Blooms at SVF office.
Excerpts of the conversation...
Q. Tell us about your character.
A. My character Mitali is a normal, middle-class woman who has a husband and two sons. The elder son is married and has a kid. The honeymoon of her younger son marks the beginning of the film. Like every middle-class woman, Mitali follows her husband in doing everything, stays in the kitchen during the daytime, and watches daily soaps in the evenings.
Q. How is Mitali's equation with her daughter-in-law Mithi (played by Madhumita Sarcar)?
A. Mithi remains defiant to keep her maiden name after marriage. Initially, Mitali supports her husband (played by Sujan Mukhopadhyay) who opposes Mithi's decision. After being unable to convince her daughter-in-law, Mitali ends up getting convinced by Mithi's thoughts. So Mitali becomes a friend, philosopher and guide of Mithi in the film.
(From L to R) Indrani Halder and Sujan Mukhopadhyay | Image Credit: Avishek Mitra/IBNS
Halder made her acting debut in 1986 with Bengali TV series Tero Parbon
Q. The film is imparting a serious message to society.
A. The film is giving a serious message but the total package is very entertaining. The viewers will enjoy it. The audience will feel like staying in their drawing room with some people while watching the film.
Q. How do you see this new trend of addressing social issues through the prism of stories centred on a Bengali family?
A. Rituparno Ghosh started a trend which has been carried forward by directors like Kaushik Ganguly, Atanu Ghosh, Srijit (Mukherji), Satarupa Sanyal, Shiboprosad Mukherjee and Avijit Sen. The directors are dealing with social issues, be it on television or cinema. We had grown up in a joint family which is missing nowadays. In the present era of social media, things have changed greatly. So when we relive the Bengali culture in films, the audience accepts it.
Halder has worked with celebrated filmmaker late Rituparno Ghosh in Bengali film Dahan and daily soap Bahanno Episode
Q. The values of a family have also increased during the Covid-19 period.
A. Yes, absolutely. The strengthening of the bonding in a family is the silver lining of the Covid phase.
Q. What one thing triggers you to choose a script?
A. I am very choosy when it comes to work. Be it small screen or big screen, I ensure the script has a proper message to the society because I need to impart a lesson to people who follow me.
Halder has also featured in a number of Hindi serials. Among her Bengali daily soaps, Goenda Ginni and Sreemoyee have remained massive hits in the drawing rooms
Q. You have worked with Rituparno Ghosh. Which one of his aspects still stays with you or you apply it while working?
A. His dressing sense. I follow his way of dressing a woman character. I try to apply that because his process was very authentic. Very few filmmakers can present a woman like he used to do.
(Images by Avishek Mitra/IBNS)
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