Anik had a different energy on and off the set, says Paran Bandopadhyay

My first memory of Anik Dutta goes back to the initial stages of Bhooter Bhabishyat. He had reached out to me, saying he wanted me to play the role of a zamindar’s ghost. One day, he came to Technician’s Studio, where I was shooting at the time, with one intention – he wanted to hear me read the script aloud while he listened. Given my tendency of ribbing, I asked, “Tahole ami porbo, apni shunben, tarpore shabostyo korben?” My sense of humour has always been like that – I rarely distinguish between strangers and people I know. Back then, of course, I still addressed him as “apni”. To be honest, his “Ektu porun toh, shuni” unsettled me slightly. We had just met, and I had no idea then that this man would reveal himself to be such a gentleman.He also had certain personal traits while working. He would get excited often. Which is why we used to jokingly call him “Panic Dutta”. In fact, there were times when I even scolded him. But as a human being, he was so warm, transparent, and honest.There was a special reason why I grew so fond of him. I admired the ideals he walked with. He had a strong social conscience and a value system that is rare to find.His films carried important lessons. People weren’t laughing for no reason – they were being enriched by that laughter too. Giving joy to audiences is, of course, the primary responsibility of an artiste, but along with that comes another duty – to leave them with something meaningful. A creator whose audience spends money to watch his work also carries the responsibility of enriching them and stirring their consciousness. Theatre has always covered that space, but as a filmmaker, Anik Dutta carried that responsibility strongly within himself.I still cannot process his passing. I am in denial. I refuse to accept that Anik is no more. I truly have no other way to deal with it.I believe, altogether, he possessed more than half the qualities it takes to become a truly complete human being. This is why his passing feels profoundly tragic.