SUBRAT DUTT ON HIS WORK AS AN ACTOR

Subrat Dutta’s career is on a new high with his tightrope walk between Bollywood and Tollygunge. After his brilliant cameo in Talaash, one wished to learn more about his career in both worlds and his work in the future. In his Bengali film Lattoo (The Top) feature him as romantic hero for the first time in a brazenly mainstream masala film. The film was a super duper flop and Dutt seems to have guessed this. But his latest film Jagan in which he plays the male lead of an abnormal man with a strange fondness for devotional music which inspires him to dance and sing, forgetting his disability. But let us hear it from Subrat himself.

What is Jagan about from your perspective since you play the title role?

Our film Jagan is about the journey of a so-called "Mad Man"  designated by the society who does not allow the normal societal "norm". He traverses through his life while not succumbing to normalcy yet tries to go beyond himself to attain the universal oneness through the Kirtans dedicated to Jagannath, again a prototype of a God who is not perfect.

You said essaying the role turned out to be very painful for you, physically and mentally. Please explain why?

That is the precise reason that inspired me to take on this role.  In that searing heat of May while I was shooting,walking in the  rustic villages of orissa ,barefoot with stinking clothes and behaving like a quote unquote madman was not easy. The normal people during the shoot literally thought  I am a real "mad man" since the camera was hidden !! So much so even the stray dogs hounded me for my demeanour!

How did you work out within the character as it is one of your most challenging roles till now?

I  actually tried to transform into that universe where Jagan lived  & breathed in. To be in the character I also had to change the centre of my body activity which can be seen in my posture & gesture as the character demanded in the film.In this case I had to create this character's universe not from any  outside source  but to delve deep into the internal Psyche of Jagan which was in the script.

Where was the film shot since it was entirely shot on location?

We shot this film in some remote villages in Orissa & our shooting tenure was for around a month.

What kind of research did you do for the role of Jagan? Please explain.

First I read the script more than  25 times ,then got  confused about what to do, then again I read the script from the end to the beginning . Then I thought let me try to search internally rather than from any outside sources. So you know, I realised there is an intrinsic madness in me so I tried to fuse my madness with my understanding of Jagan the character, which worked for my director while the shoot...

How about your rapport with your co-actors in the film?

It was amazing to work with Swarupa Ghosh didi who portrayed the difficult character of my mother torn between her love for her normal son and her abnormal son., Bikas ji  Debashish as my elder brother was also very good as were all others actors

What is your criterion whole accepting an assignment? Script, director, character, banner, money?

I always go for a good combination of a good director and a solid script.
About money ,it automatically flows if it's a good role and  if we can make  a good film,  a  prestigious banner automatically comes in . So I am contented and satisfied.

Are you - a trained actor, an instinctive actor, a natural actor, a combination of these?

I am a trained actor because I have trained at the National School of Drama and graduated from there though it was a very tough struggle. I come originally from a remote area in Bankura district of West Bengal because I hardly knew Hindi and also could not speak in English. I was subjected to a lot of ragging but slowly, I learnt the ropes and tried to acquire some command on both without which, it would have been impossible to work in films in Mumbai. But I am also an instinctive actor and a natural actor. In fact, all actors, I feel, are a combination of all these. You learn much more while you are actually working than in an acting school.

How are your vibes with Bollywood vis-a-vis Tollygunge since you have your feet firmly planted in both places?

I think the difference lies only in the size of the market. Bengali  films release only in Bengal while Hindi films have an international market today that forms a sizable slice of the entire market for world cinema. But I think there is scope for Bengali cinema to widen its market which demands high budgets, quality-rich form and content. Creativity-wise, I do not think there is any difference. But the single screen theatres in Bengal need to be modernized and hygienic and close attention should be paid to the revamping of the washrooms.

What criteria do you use while picking Bengali assignments as you are rooted in Mumbai and travelling back and fro could conflict with your Mumbai dates?

Sometimes I do films with my friends; sometimes I say ‘yes’ to roles I have never done  before. The ‘bound script’ is like a dream-come-true. But as a Bengali myself, I want to do at least three to four Bengali films in a year. I have done some very bad films in the bargain and I am aware of that and have made up my mind not to do such films ever again.

List five of your personal favourites from your released films till date.

Among my personal favourites as an actor, I would like to mention Madholal, Keep Walking, Josef – Born in Grace, Chaturanga (Bengali), Sameer, Guthlee Laddu and now Jagan. Madholal Keep Walking sees me in the title role of a security guard who loses his hands in the massive train accident in Mumbai. Sadly, the film died a silent death because of its weak release, marketing and publicity. Josef – Born in Grace essays the character of an orphan brought up by a Catholic priest who is a wonderful chef but loses himself to alcohol because of his quest for his lost mother. Chaturanga is memorable because it happens to be a film directed by Suman Mukhopadhyay based on a very difficult novel by Rabindranath Tagore. Sameer is a little known Hindi film released in 2017 in which I portray the Deputy Chief of an Anti-terrorist squad appointed to capture a terrorist but captures an innocent guy named Sameer by mistake.  And Guthlee Laddoo is a wonderful film in which I play a manual scavenger who is desperate to have his son admitted in a school.

How have you evolved as an actor?

I am living my life through my work. I am trying to find the right way considering actors like Om Puri and Naseeruddin Shah as my icons. I do not carry the burden of technique. I do not carry my personal baggage with me. I have learnt to portray the situation rather than the character. I try to look at myself without any baggage. The situation must be credible for the audience. Situations are filled with a wide range of possibilities and do not narrow the actor’s focus the way concentrating on a character does. It helps the actor take a holistic view of a given film, a particular shot, a sequence of events and interaction with his co-actors. 

*****