Emerging out of the shadows of Kahaani-man Bob Biswas, criticially acclaimed actor Saswata Chatterjee says whenever a film is over he leaves behind the character.
"Bob Biswas is past. I don't want to carry that tag any more. Now there are a whole lot of ranges from a child to a 70-year old to choose from," he told PTI on the sets of 'Bonkubabu' a comedy with the name bearing similarities with a popular children's story by Satyajit Ray.
"I essay a 70-year old man's character, a retired security personnel, who is strict and can't take things lightly at the sight of any misdeed. He again rises in protest when goons molest a girl at the local park and unites other members of his senior citizen group. I am happy to etch out such a character which shows how young passers-by look the other way even when a girl faces the brunt of taunt and attack," the Nilkantho Bagchhi in Ritwik Ghatak biopic Meghe Dhaka Tara says.
"These days I get to portray various kinds of roles. Very exhausting when I can even barely visit home despite being in my own city for days. Don't have time to bag any Hindi project now and settle there (mumbai) for work (Amar posabe na)," Anik Datta's Aschorjo Prodip actor says.
"I have no qualms to do a Bonkubabu or Hercules," Saswata says.
On having good friend Rajatabho Datta as his on screen son, Saswata says in her characteristic style, "There are so many memories which crowd as we have together done numerous films. As actors our job is to make any role realistic and if Ronie becomes my son in a fim, as in here, so be it," he said.
"I had Saswata's eyes and look even though I visualised about a 70 something character. No I didn't think about a veteran like Soumitra Chatterjee. He is a versatile actor, a legend but I didn't think about him. I knew being a comedy with a social message, Apuda will perfectly fit the bill and so it happened, Director Anindya Bikas Dutta said about casting Saswata.
Bonkubabu, produced by Asthami Films, will be released by middle of this year.
