Prosenjit is 60 but his fitness levels can give 30 year olds a run for their money. He’s been wowing audiences in Bengal since mid-80s and now, thanks to the success of shows like Jubilee and Scoop, he has found a pan-Indian audience. His portrayal of the larger-than-life studio owner Srikant Roy is a homage to the filmmakers of a bygone era who lived and breathed films. His character’s every thought and action is dedicated to making a hit film and he’s willing to sacrifice everything – relationships, marriage, even his sanity, in pursuit of that. So seamless is his performance that it looks like a role written just for him. The star talks about rejuvenation and more in a riveting interview…
Your performance in Jubilee has been immensely appreciated…
What I liked about the character (Srikant Roy) is that he is a man who is passionate about cinema. Even though he did many wrong things, when he died, people who watched the show said that we were in tears. It’s because he didn’t do anything for himself; he did everything for the cinema and his studio. I loved the grey area of that character. I am getting praise from the audience, and of course, from the industry people in Kolkata, Mumbai, and at the national level too.
What made you say yes to this role?
I enjoy working with new-age directors, and Vikramaditya Motwane is one of them. I have watched all his work, starting with Udaan. When he came to Kolkata and told me about the vision of the show, I being a student of cinema, knew what he was trying to build, and I instantly said yes. He just said, ‘Dada, I want that Indian godfather kind of feel…’ I enjoyed playing this character.
How much of Prosenjit do we see in Roy’s character?
In one way, I am very close to him, and that is in my passion for cinema. We try, after our failures, to make one more film. That is how 40 years have passed by. It’s a constant fight. Nobody in this world can say that every film will be a hit. Good times, bad times—it’s like a roller coaster. If you don’t have the passion, you can’t survive the ride. And you know there was a film called Autograph (2010) by Srijit Mukherji, which was a tribute to the film Nayak made by Satyajit Ray. The tagline of the film was:
‘I am Arun Chatterjee, and I am the industry.’ I played a superstar in the film. That film changed the entire scenario of Bengali cinema. I also played a character like Mahendra in Chokher Bali (2003). It has plenty of shades to it as well.
Who was the inspiration when you were preparing for your role?
The best inspiration for me doing Jubilee was Guru Dutt. This man took cinema to a different level. But if you look into his personal life, it was a sad kind of life. I love all his films, especially Pyaasa and Kaagaz Ke Phool. I studied him well. He had a different intellect. I am even ready to play a biopic on Bimal Roy and Guru Dutt. I also want to play cricketer Sourav Ganguly on screen but age is
against me.
Is it easy to bring to life legendary characters like Himanshu Rai and Uttam Kumar because your life somewhat mirrors theirs?
We haven’t said that my character is based on Himanshu Rai. What we did in Jubilee was that the makers mixed up a lot of filmmakers into one character. Vikramaditya has paid tribute to the legends in his own way. And though my character in Autograph was dedicated to Uttam Kumar, it wasn’t Uttam Kumar. I love biopics, as they give you a chance to talk about the lifestyle, relationships and aura of the past greats.
Being from a film family, you must have grown up with the stories that are being depicted in Jubilee.
When I was a child, I saw all the big stars in my house. Whether it was Dilip Kumar or Raj Kapoor, I’ve seen them all. My dad, Biswajit, was a big star as well. Their operational style was different.
I would say that they lived in their own worlds. Today we are more professional. They were artistes and would function as per their moods. There was a different atmosphere then. There was magic in their personalities and their auras.
What do you admire the most about your father?
I always tell him that I am jealous of your songs. He has the best songs in the film industry. They came out 60 years ago and people still love them. Of course, he was a good-looking guy. He was launched by Hemant Kumar in Bees Saal Baad (1962), which was a huge hit and it helped him land many big banners. Coming from Bengal, he became a national hero, which was a huge accomplishment. Even today, people are inspired by him. We’re all proud of him.
How difficult was it to step out of your legendary father’s shadow and carve an identity of your own?
There is nothing easy in life. Doesn’t matter who I am, where I come from, or who my father is. I have learnt one thing: you get the audience to the theatre through your work. No other influence works there. I fought my own battles and I’ve won. Yes, with Daddy’s name and Daddy’s influence, I did get an advantage at some places where people knew I was his son. But if you see my journey as an actor, I did everything like a newcomer. I did theatre for a salary of 500 rupees. I did a few small and side roles in the beginning. I even played the hero’s brother. And then I got Amar Sangi (1987), which was a platinum jubilee. After that, I didn’t have to look back.
Did you have to struggle a lot?
I started working when I was 16–17. I was struggling to get good roles. Because my age was against me as I was considered a kid. I have done theatre, shows, and plays. There was a time when I would take a bus from my home, I used to drink tap water on the road, go and meet my directors. I didn’t have money for food. If you are hungry and after struggling the entire day, you get money for pav bhaji, the taste and enjoyment of it is unmatchable. In my first film, I got a signing amount of ` 400. I bought a sari for my mom with the entire money. Later, I gave her expensive saris. But that was special for me and my mom.
Do you agree that life is lived at extremes in showbiz?
Life has taught me one thing. Enjoy your success for a certain time but try to live with your failure. Don’t wear success for too long. But if there is a failure, try to keep that with you. Look into it, try to understand it, get a solution and bounce back stronger.
Was there a time when you wanted to quit?
Initially, I was told I had a face like a Bombay hero. And I should go to Mumbai and try my luck there, as my dad was in Mumbai. I worked on my own brand, which was distinct from that of my father. When people started saying, ‘He’s a chocolate hero,’ I did action films to break that image. People slotted me as a commercial star and I changed that by doing films like Chokher Bali (2003) and by working with new-age directors like Rituparno Ghosh. So this is a continuous process to build a new audience with each passing year.
And now with OTT, you’ve found a pan-Indian audience…
Yes. OTT is the future. Everyone is doing it. There is a space for newcomers, writers, actors, and established players as well. I’ve been a student of cinema for 40 years and have built my legacy. Now, even if I were to do a two-scene character on OTT, I know people will say -- Prosenjitji did it. Nobody will say, ‘Who is that?’
Like the three Khans of Bollywood, you are irreplaceable in the Bengali film industry.
I have been working for the last 40 years. It is God’s blessing that people love me and I try to give them something new every year. That’s the reason I said yes to being Srikant Roy. And it is my debut on a new platform, opening up a new future.
Which Bengali films of yours would you recommend to new non-Bengali fans
Dosar (2006), Baishe Srabon (2011)--its prequel is being made. Jaatishwar (2014), where I played a double role, Jyeshthoputro (2019); and my latest film Sesh Pata (2023).
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