April 27, 2026 05:59 pm (IST)
Follow us:
Preparation for a complex role more hyped in Hollywood: Saswata 'Bob Biswas'
Kolkata, Nov 29 IBNS) Bengali actor Saswata Chatterjee, who won hearts of the national audience with his portrayal of a cold-blooded hired assassin masquerading as a common man who melts in the crowd in Kahaani, has regrets but again no regrets being the usual cool-as-casual self.
Not attempting to hide his sense of hurt for lack of recognition to the serious preparations that go behind layered roles in different films, critically acclaimed or not, the "Nilkantho Bagchi. a.k.a Ritwik Ghatak", in "Meghe Dhaka Tara" tells IBNS: "In Hollywood an actor starts preparing one year before a shoot and that gets duly covered and publicised. We are poorer souls."
Explaining the difference, he says, "In Bengal we take preparations for the same type of complex role for over a month. There is no luxury like Hollywood. For many films we get just flat 15 days to bring out the complexities of character but that seldom gets hyped."
"We gain or lose weight and we practise the lines for bringing to life one character alive. But we never think about cashing on that," says Saswata, who had lost weight in Ebar Shabor as a fit-as-fiddle intelligence bureau cop and again became a pot-bellied para saloon owner mimicking Rajesh Khanna of the 70s in Monchuri.
Turning to his struggle, and every actor's struggle Saswata draws parallels with a child on road who becomes a better fighter, equipped to face the odds in life.
"Street children are most immune to adversities. They have the resilience and it is the same as Bengali film actors like me. We have come this far after defeating adversities. It helped me to become tougher mentally," Saswata, having portrayed the role of cool and cunning Bob Biswas in Sujoy Ghosh's Kahaani, said.
Referring to the truth about lack of infrastructure in Bengali films and other constraints, Saswata says, "Still creative people from Bengal are all over there in the Mumbai industry."
"Look at any moment. You will find, Bengali directors are reigning in Mumbai. Look at Sujoy (Ghosh) and others," he says.
Saswata, who wanted to leave behind Bob Biswas, points out he did several films after Kahaani which also included the gritty sleuth's role in a mainstream thriller like Ebar Shabor by Arindam Sil.
Support Our Journalism
We cannot do without you.. your contribution supports unbiased journalism
IBNS is not driven by any ism- not wokeism, not racism, not skewed secularism, not hyper right-wing or left liberal ideals, nor by any hardline religious beliefs or hyper nationalism. We want to serve you good old objective news, as they are. We do not judge or preach. We let people decide for themselves. We only try to present factual and well-sourced news.
Support objective journalism for a small contribution.
Latest Headlines
Not your usual hero! Jackie Shroff turns superhero grandfather in quirky sci-fi twist
Mon, Apr 27 2026
Pregnant, still working! Deepika Padukone shoots with Punit Malhotra during second pregnancy
Wed, Apr 22 2026
Motherhood beyond the clock: How Deepika Padukone and her peers rewrite the rules in their 40s
Tue, Apr 21 2026
Sharvari hails ‘Yeh Prem Mol Liya’ as ‘very special’, calls Sooraj Barjatya film a dream project
Tue, Apr 21 2026
“She will sue you!” AI images of Alia Bhatt used in Pakistani fashion label's viral ad campaign
Tue, Apr 21 2026
‘Babies while doing movies’: Deepika Padukone’s old remark resurfaces as she shoots through pregnancy
Tue, Apr 21 2026
Deepika Padukone to shoot through pregnancy, performs ‘intense action sequences’ for Raaka
Mon, Apr 20 2026