Actor-MP Dipak Adhikary, popular as Dev in Bengali film industry says actors of masala films can reinvent themselves if given the chance by arthouse directors.
The actor plays a gun-toting dumb mohalla leader in his new film "Zulfiqar".
Referring to his two recent releases, Dev told PTI "Both 'Zulfiqar' nor 'Arshinagar' can't be called typical Dev films (potboilers). But these two gave me the chance to reinvent myself in my own way.
"On a personal level I feel I have not done too bad in either of these films. If commercial film actors are given the space they can also deliver."
Dev said he had started reinventing himself since "Chander Pahar" (2013) by Kamaleswar Mukherjee which was then followed by films like "Buno Haans," "Arshinagar" and now "Zulfiqar".
The actor, who plays Markaz Ali (Marcus) in the film based on Shakespeare's "Julius Caesar" and "Antony and Cleopatra," said, his character can't talk and it was challenging for him to emote before the camera without uttering a single word.
This was in sharp contrast to Aparna Sen's "Arshinagar" (based on Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet) where he had to do rapid fire delivery in rhythm as Ronojoy (Romeo), Dev said.
"I had a lot of dialogues in 'Arshinagar' in rap style, while I say a lot through silence in 'Zulfiqar'. This showes we (masala film actors) can also do whatever is required to essay a character," he said.
Asked if 'Zulfiqar', a film on syndicate war to get turf control in a west Kolkata was based on reality, the Trinamool MP from Ghatal in West Bengal said, "No don't hunt for any similarity.
"It (the film) is just an entertainer," he added.
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