In the first of its kind daily soap on the small screen, a Bengali serial now turns its gaze on a group of deaf girls, with a host of popular actors also conversing in sign language with real-life differently abled actors.
"I have objection to the word deaf and dumb, it's better to call them exceptionally abled sensitive people living in their own non-vocal world," creative director and producer of 'Tumi Robe Nirobe' (you will prevail in silence) Snehasis Chakroborty told PTI today.
Snehasis, one of the most creatively prolific directors of the small screen, reveals how the whole project took off when once he overheard a street conversation, "Ki re kala, sunte pasna? (are you deaf? Can't you hear what I say?"
"We show our crassness and insensitivity by indiscriminately using such phrases like kala. Do we ever think what should be the mental state of those who are steeped in a silent zone," he said.
In the soap, a departure from the usual sas-bohu stuff on small screen or sugary love stories, a group of 'girls of extra sensitivity' 'converse' with 'vocal' actors like Arjun Chakroborty, Bhaswar Chatterjee and Rita Dutta Chakrovorty but there is no barrier in communicating between themselves.
"I had been associated with over 8000 soaps so long. Many a time we were overweighed by words and words. Even when words are not needed. 'Tumi Robe Nirobe' will bring that much needed, welcome break,"
Popular serial actor Sweta Bhattacharya, having essayed the character of Jhil in the serial, said she had the only experience to interact with such people at a global MNC fast food outlet which employs some of them at the counter.
"However, a few days into the shoot we did not need any interpretor," Jhil, the spearhead of Taal musical troupe in the serial, said.
Actor Arjun Chakroborty said the title, taken from Tagore's 'Tumi Robe Nirobe....' first line, served as a metaphor in many ways.
"When the actors are non-vocal, music becomes more evocative," Snehasis said.
Tumi Robe Nirobe, produced by BLUES Kolkata, will be aired on Zee Bangla this month.
