Rituparno's Debut Film As Actor Goes To Berlin Film Festival
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December 22, 2009
Rituparno Ghosh’s debut film as an actor goes to Berlin Film Festival
Prolific Bengali filmmaker Rituparno Ghosh’s debut film as an actor
Chhaya Chobi has been selected for the Berlin Film Festival. Ghosh
sounds elated while confirming the news saying, “I just received a
confirmation mail this morning from the Berlin selection committee
saying my film has been selected for the Berlin Film Festival to
happen from February 11 to February 23, 2010. The film will be played
in the mid-night gala section.”
For a director who has been known to extract the finest performances
from his cast, how does it feel to gain recognition as an actor? “I
have always been known as an actor’s director. But acting was an
altogether different ballgame for me”, says Ghosh. “I received a
personal mail from Dorothee Wenner from the Berlin selection committee
saying how much she loved our film adding adjectives like it is just
amazing, funny, sizzling, multilayered, intelligent, serious and has
superb performances – all in one”.
Incidentally, this is not the first time that a Rituparno Ghosh film
will be screened at Berlin Film Festival. The director won the Netpac
Award at Berlin in 2000 for his film Bariwali starring Kirron Kher. So
is this kind of a déjà vu feeling for him? “There is a sort of déjà vu
feeling. But this time it’s different because the film is not directed
by me. But as an important member of the film, I am proud and happy
that my film has been selected at Berlin. It was a small effort and an
offbeat film so it feels good to gain recognition.”
Ask him what was so compelling about the film that it made the
director turn towards acting and Rituparno says, “I play two
characters in the film – one is a filmmaker and another is a subject.
As the subject, I play this person impersonating female roles which I
thought was quite challenging and interesting”.
Chhaya Chobi (meaning Just Another Love Story ) is the real life
biopic of a person called Chapal Bhaduri, the last big male Jatra star
who has been playing female characters on stage for as many as 40
years, which caused confusion about his identity in personal life.