Ajogyo is Rituparna Sengupta’s 50th movie with superstar Prosenjit Chatterjee, maybe that is a world record. According to Prosenjit, “I am not very sure about the world record, but yes, for Indian cinema it has been a huge, big thing, working together for 50th film, which is obviously Ayogyo. It is doing quite well. But I always think that this chemistry or this expectation from the audience is from the audience because I don’t believe that any actor or actresses can just do 50 films together as an actor if audience doesn’t like us. I think the audiences have a huge contribution to our screen chemistry.”
He also added,” When we used to do normal mainstream films where we used to do song, dance, this kind of a film, where I think the people used to go really gaga to see both of us.” There were few of our films which became hit records and till today on YouTube these songs are major hits. However, these two actors coming together was constantly triggered by some sections of audience and their directors who thought so since time immemorial in order for magic to be made on screen. And that what made us do another so many films together.
Rituparna and Rituparna parted ways at one point ‘’Yeah then we took break for some time as you know very well I had shifted myself from regular mainstream cinema into little different cinema that Autograph directed by Srijit Mukherjee was. I began a completely new journey from there.’’ Same thing happened with Ritu also; she did some very important characters and important roles which is more of a mature actress kind of a thing’’. So both created a very different image individually in front of audience’’. Thus after long years when came back together in Praktan as it happened during around 13-14 years. Even then audience came to watch both of us on screen and which carried forward from Praktan to Drishtikon, from Drishtikon to Ajogyo today.’’
“So, when I visited some of the theatres in Kolkata recently after release of Ajogyo, people were shouting when our fifty-first film together will be releasing,” said the actor. “So, I think this is something we just can’t explain in a way like how really it happened. But I personally feel that we both are very, very professional. And in a way, I will say that because you will understand. When I used to do absolutely hardcore mainstream cinema, she did Dohon where she got the National Award with director Rituparno Sengupta. Also there were times when I used to do mainstream cinema but at the same time working on films such as Choker Bali or Utsav. So and later on with Gautam Ghosh and Buddhadev Dasgupta also. I think as an actor somewhere we had made people realize that we are just not into mainstream cinema.
They both seem to have parallel careers Prosenjit agreed saying ,“Yeah,I got National Award for Doshor.She got national award for Dohon.. Both directed by Rituparno Sengupta.” So there was some sort of affinity towards a different type of cinema and different kind of image also for us. We tried our level best to give our best shot and do something completely different through it .
However, whenever we went onscreen as a lead actor in mainstream terms, it is like Bengali, I’m talking about 20-25 years ago, the producer used to say that this pair is our Goddess Lakshmi. So if they come together we are safe. As you know it’s all business also. That is from the perspective of the producers or the director.”
He said that “I think that’s the magic we came up with for ages and I think today there has been a change in audience. The theatres have changed too. The new audience have come back again. So 30 years ago for instance people who’d watch our movies today they’re older folks maybe their kids will be coming to see us now.so this huge big crowd comes now. But definitely they’ve not seen us doing all those mainstream cinema which we used to do regularly before.
So it’s new crowd, a new set of audiences who have accept both of us also on screen. I would say It’s an audience that has always given us courage,the love. They’ve always loved me and even today i believe so. I think this is because of chemistry between two people and professionalism from our both sides. We both are very ,very ,very professional thorough professionals.
When I call Prosenjit and Rituparna Sengupta as Uttam Sengupta and Suchitra Sen of this millennium, Prosenjit protests thus; “To be honest Uttam Kumar and Suchitra Sen are not at all comparable to us since they are a class apart and like at least from our side we consider them as an era. Yes,they were one of the hit pair onscreen but comparing us with them will be fallacious. Yeah although we are consider as last Bengali screen pair type thing. But still I believe tomorrow some boys & girls may perform wonderfully. Well, but such things happen when we really did well through God’s grace in my case. Rituparna and I have attempted to do what Uttam-Suchitra or my dad (yesteryears’ superstar Biswajit) and Sandhya Rao embarked upon. They too were such a great on screen pair like Soumitra Chatterjee-Aparna Sen.” So, that’s like carrying forward the legacy…”
He added, “That’s how we’re blessed. And can I share something with you, sir? Rituparna was much junior to me. When she came on screen, I was like, already I had made my name and was already a big star by then. So it was just as if when I started working for the first time along side any other new girl. In all her interviews mostly she says I have learnt a lot from this man. Having an experienced co-star really works sometimes.No way,it is not true.I mean yeah we are very good friends but i won’t say friendship it is more of a guru-shishya kind of relationship.Till now she still feels that I am a very technical person.She knows films.She goes into the depth.So it helps both of us.Talking about when we work together,I’m an actor first always not only for Ritu.”
“As far as both of us are concerned,” he said “I try to do a lot of homework”.
“I believe as professionals we do have a lot to share in common. In the same breath, we are aware that our audience has bestowed upon us this responsibility. Thus, we must be at our best. So we do give it the best shot. In a way, yes, we have an extremely good relationship. And it is not friendship per se I’d say so. It’s something which people have it like they have alot of people as you understand very well. There is alot of gossip there are alot of things has happened over the years. Talking about maybe 20-15-18-17 years back.”
Prosenjit added, “So apart from all these but still we were working as a professional for so long time coming together and giving our best on the screen and ultimately for us audience is God so trying to make them happy and they come with lot of expectations so that is our focus area. And individually also I’ve seen Ritu also knows about cinema too. Besides I’m person who only belongs to cinema everybody knows very well that I drink with cinema sleep with cinema eat with cinema because of me right! That is what matters most.”
Prosenjit revealed why Rituparna took some time to do another film together after Praktan. “After Praktan, what we decided was let’s keep at least two and half three years gap with next one. And this Ajogyo took little time because of pandemic. Therefore, our 50th film came back. We think Kaushik Ganguly you know he’s one amongst those finest directors that Bangla has. I would rather say not only in Bangla but Indian films also. And he’s a very great director. He has his own fan following. He understands bengali emotion. So to work along with him kaushik always has been challenging. So i have worked nearly around five six films with him. All those films are extraordinary.They understand me.”
The actor added, “So i think for this particular film we two Ritu and I decided Kaushik Ganguly should direct the film. With two actors who are heavy weights on their own it is important to have a director who can take our pair to a different level. So even with me also and for both of us, kaushik ganguly’s film was very important because it was our 50th film. We were nothing but alert about the whole thing and I think it took us almost one and half years to finalize the script.”
“And Kaushik normally doesn’t take so much of time,” added Prosenjit. “He’s a brilliant writer He’s an excellent script writer but he really takes very long. This film has been done with lot of love from production side. And I think that we have done when we used to do mainstream cinema, commercial cinema me and Ritu did so many films with them and everything has changed. But once reached in that situation where you are doing your 50th then everyone did a lot of attention on this movie. Therefore, there are three big music directors in there who are really big music directors. They wouldn’t do this actually but they all came together to compose the music.”
So they all came together to commemorate our fiftieth creation. So it was pretty important for us.”
“And of course, finally it is the story and the script,” he added. I am called Prosen, in my character. And Ritu’s character is Parna. There is another character played by a great singer and actor Shilaji with the husband character. It has been done; hence, I believe that the story we realized will work on any kind of an audience as per me. In Bengali audience, especially those who are like family in the audience point of view than anything else. So, and it has indeed been done with God’s grace on it! This film has had people coming to watch it and also liking it at last! Rather I would say love from entire unit.” Taking so much care for doing this movie.’”
“At Ajogyo premiere history was made?” “At Ajogyo premiere there was my son who stands as our next generation.” Rituparna daughter was there too because she had arrived from Singapore. Thus that beautiful picture of belonging to the next generation emerged out of nowhere.’ It feels like a family but yeah till now we have a very, very I mean very nice good warm relationship.’ Initially felt like I am a senior person. Then again Ritu achieved many things also. We are more like friends but friendship comes alive when we work or in front of camera.’ That’s what matters most to us” Prosenjit said.’
