ANINDITA ACHARYA, Kolkata: In Tollywood, Sourav Chakraborty today is known more for his directorial skills than his acting abilities. In fact, it wouldn’t be wrong to mention that his acting offers have over the months reduced after he helmed web series like Japani Toy, Cartoon, Dhanbad Blues and Shabdo Jabdo. And we are sure the Bengali binge-watchers have liked his latest offering Shabdo Jabdo on Hoichoi, where Rajat Kapoor plays an author.
And given the pace he is moving, Sourav will soon start his debut directorial feature. If everything goes according to plan, he might start shooting the film this year. Though he remains tight-lipped about the project, he says the content will surprise one and all. “We are in the process of writing the story… it is completely different… something weird,” he said.
Coming back to his web series, if you have watched Cartoon, Dhanbad Blues and Shabdo Jabdo, you would notice Sourav follows a pattern. He has an inclination towards grey characters and is fascinated by the dark world. And he has his reasons. “We don’t live in a perfect world. The real world is harsh and while filming it, I approach it in a neutral way. It’s not a conscious decision. Japani Toy was a social satire, but it too present the harsh reality but more in a metaphorical way,” says the Ekti Bangali Bhooter Galpo actor.
When asked if the character of Rajat Kapoor, who plays author Saugata Sinha in the web series is someone whom he has known or not, Sourav said he has always been enamoured by conspiracy theory since World War 1. “When conspiracy unfolds, you cannot see it directly. But it can lead to a lot of mystery and thrill. I have tried to capture that through the web series,” said Sourav, who liked his ex-wife Madhumita Sarkar’s trailer of Love, Aaj Kal Porshu. However, given his work schedule he didn’t find time to watch the film though at the theatres.
Ever since Sourav had conceived the story, he had the Ankhon Dekhi director in mind. “Saugata Sinha is someone who belongs to the age group of 55-60. And the character had lived abroad for 20 years. So, I needed someone who had that kind of look and was also a skilled performer. It was Moni da (producer Mahendra Soni) who encouraged us to get Rajat Kapoor on board,” he said.
