Team 'Bogla Mama Jug Jug Jiyo' chat over theatre, friendship and bonding

Q (Riddhi): You all have a theatre background. How was exploring the world of theatre in this film?

A. We all are associated with theatre from a very early age. Even Ditipriya has started doing theatres. It was indeed fun to witness how the border line between theatre and cinema was getting blurred at one point. After a point, we forgot the presence of the camera. It was rare to have such a blending of theatre and cinema. I would like to personally thank Dhrubo-da for giving us such a unique experience of theatre and acting alongside stalwarts. We don’t come across such experiences too often.

Q (to Ditipriya): How was the process to slip into your role?

A. Most importantly, we got ample number of days in shooting. This doesn’t happen in films here generally. We shot this film for about 25-27 days and I was associated with the project for almost six months. We did a workshop for quite a number of days so we went through the process of theatre for a long time. It was very interesting. I think it helped us to create the bonding which is reflected on screen.

Q (to all). How much did the workshop help in slipping into the respective roles?

A. Mithun: We have done a workshop for almost a week. Moreover, we have learnt a lot from theatre. Every character has a different shade. Now the amalgamation of all the shades was the most important for us.

Ujan: I am not sure whether theatre has helped us in this film. I think the friendship and bonding we have were reflected on screen. Our bonding was not created during the workshop but it happened organically.

Sudip: Actually, I come from North Kolkata where the club culture still exists. So I am used to it. In that way, it was not like that I had to slip into the character with any process as such.

Jeet: Personally I feel workshop doesn’t help in building characters in these films. The bonding is created through these workshops, which is the base.

Q (to all). At what point did you feel the trigger of the bonding which eventually led to the feeling that something grand was in making?

Riddhi: Personally it triggered from the fact none of us had any ego. No matter how good friends we are, sometimes there comes some inhibition in a professional space. We all are friends but during the rehearsal period, we realised none of us has any barrier that would stop us from exchanging suggestions. This is what we have learnt from theatre, which is a community craft.

Q (to all). Does the bonding always help greatly?

A. I feel it’s the other way round. The bonding turns out to be a disadvantage. Unlearning the bonding or the friendship is very important. I have even featured alongside my parents or Surangana (Surangana Bandyopadhyay, Riddhi’s actress girlfriend). The process of unlearning is the same. Unlearning is needed to keep the unpredictability of an actor.

Others: We too agree with it completely.

Q (to Ditipriya). How fun was it to slip into this group?

A. I am by nature aloof. I found them as an overwhelming team. After a few days since the commencement of the shoot, I started to interact with them. I used to speak less but used to have an impact for days (laughs). But they used to troll me a lot. I too trolled them a bit. 

Q. How was the experience of exploring the friendship between different ages which is there in the film?

A. Ujan: Yes, it has been there since ages. Now we feel this concept as alienated in this modern world. Since we were raised in a club culture, this is not a remote idea to us. There is no intended portrayal of friendship between two different ages in this film. It is very organic and has been there for decades. Rather, we are getting oblivion of it in the modern world.

Jeet: It was prevalent earlier even more. But we have created a taboo in this modern world.

Sudip: Bogla Mama never gets restricted to age. He is friends with people of all age brackets.

Q. How was working with Kharaj Mukherjee?

Ujan: Kharaj-da is undoubtedly a great actor. We can’t have any doubt in it. His sense of humour is incredible. Kharaj-da has remained cooperative with us throughout. He helped us in scenes as well. He even used to rehearse with us.

Riddhi: I have seen very few spontaneous actors as Kharaj uncle. His spontaneity is a learning for all of us as actors. Moreover, his range of acting from comic to serious films is incredible. Kharaj uncle belongs to the best generation of Bengali actors whom we have seen.

Q (to Riddhi): Did Bogla Mama remind you of Open Tee Bioscope?

A. Of course. It’s a privilege to go through a similar experience after 10 years. These kinds of on-set experiences do not come often. Apart from the bonding we co-actors have, it has been a privilege to work with such talented people, whose hearts were at the right place and are extremely disciplined. I am happy that this bunch of actors has respect towards discipline.

Q (to Ditipriya): How challenging was it to avoid getting stereotyped after playing Rani Rashmoni at the start of your career?

A. I think I could avoid it to a certain extent. I feel Bogla will dilute my image which has been built since I did the daily soap. I think Dakghor had broken that image to some extent. Bogla will completely change my image. This was the first time where I had got an opportunity to work with my contemporaries. It helps a lot.

(All Images by SVF PR Team)