Priyanshu Chatterjee
Is back with a Bollywood release after a long time, that too in a different avatar. His role in Samrat & Cois not something the actor has attempted before and Chatterjee is hoping for a little luck. The script is good, the banner is huge and the treatment different, but is this enough, Deebashree Mohanty asks the groovy actor who was spotted in the Capital at Sakae Sushi restaurant
‘We need a detective icon’
What genre will Samrat & Co fall under and whyIJ
For me, it is a suspense movie and not a thriller per se. The movie has many edge of the seat moments that is bound to surprise the audience. But it is not something that will make you scream in fright. It is a classy detective film where a couple of able detectives try to solve mysteries around my family. It may sound like a weird concept but give Samrat a chance. You are not going to regret watching this film.
What is your role in this filmIJ
I play Dimpy’s brother Sanjay Singh in the film. We live in our mansion in Shimla, the centre of all mysterious activities. Samrat and his assistant move into our home to decode the happenings and solve the puzzle. I am like a master key to this entire plot. It is a very interesting role and I thoroughly enjoyed being a part of this rigmarole. This is not something I have done before, so I was overjoyed that I was offered a role which had some grey areas.
This is the first detective film of the season. What are your expectationsIJ
We are all very hopeful that the audience will come in droves. We have all put in a lot of hard work in the making of this film. The set-up is grand and the screenplay is mindblowing. This is not the run-of-the mill kind of a script so I have my fingers crossed.
Do you think the Indian audience has a palette for detective filmsIJ
The urban middle class is used to such shows and films. We have grown up watching Sherlock and Watson and other detective characters. But there is a part of India that has no idea about this genre. They need to be made aware about such movies and the best way to achieve that is by experimenting more. Directors and producers in Bollywood need to take a few risks and come out with detective icons which people can identify with. If we have 4-5 such films in a year, suddenly there will be a demand for such kind of movies. And healthy competition is always welcome.
You are the face of Bengali cinema and have also acted in Bollywood. How difficult is the transitionIJ
It’s like doing one project after the other. I don’t see it as working in two parallel film industries. For me, work is work. It matters little that I will be dubbing in Hind or Bengali. At the end of the day if your movie is a hit you become a hero otherwise you sign up for another film hoping for the best.
Having said that, Bollywood certainly has a grand feeling to it. As soon as you step inside a set in Mumbai, you feel you have entered a different zone. You feel you are doing something big.
Tum Bin was your biggest hit in 2001...
This film has a special place in my heart. Even now, people listen to the songs and talk about the movie fondly. We had a lot of fun while shooting for the film and most of us are still in touch.