Byomkesh girls on shooting experience, Puja plans and more

Bengalis’ favourite sleuth, Byomkesh Bakshi, is making a comeback this Durga Puja. But, did you know accompanying him this time are three more ladies, apart from wife Satyabati? For debutante Bibriti Chatterjee, Anindita Bose and Sauraseni Maitra, Byomkesh Gowtro is their first Puja release, so naturally, the trio were brimming with excitement when CT met them for a chat recently.Director Arindam Sil, who is all praise for the ladies, said, “Initially, when we landed in Mussoorie for the shoot, the three of them would treat the whole thing like a picnic. They would spend more time exploring the hill station than shooting. But I never objected. However, taking a cue from their seniors, the realisation soon dawned on them and they started showing exemplary dedication.”
When we caught up with the young actors, what ensued was more insight on their characters, shooting experiences and Puja plans!
Anindita Bose
ON HER CHARACTER
I play the young Suchitra Das, who is the daughter of Mussoorie’s wealthy businessman, Ramanath. Suchitra is married to Ushapati Das and is the mother of Satyakam, a Casanova. She also has a store in Mussoorie — Suchitra Emporium — named after her. Suchitra is flamboyant and extremely flirtatious. For her, money is never an issue and she swears by her beauty. Arindamda always complimented me for my beautiful eyes and I made full use of it to woo the men (smiles)! He helped me learn the nuances of acting. Though a cameo, my character is pivotal to the film.

ON HER SHOOTING EXPERIENCE
Working with this production is more like a party. The whole unit shares a tremendous bond. Arindamda feels film-making is a team effort and he literally follows that on the sets. From shot division to what fry will be served with daal at lunch time — everything is in Mr Cool’s (Arindam Sil) knowledge. For me,it was reliving Gaaner Oparey days with Arjun (Chakrabarty) and Indrasish (Roy) around on the sets. On our day off, we all would go out to unwind and indulged in phuchka and a lot of food and adda. It was so much fun!
ON HER DURGA PUJA PLANS
The first and foremost plan is to watch Byomkesh Gowtro and make everyone watch it! Waking up late, eating without giving a damn to diet, endless adda with friends, debi darshan, offering anjali to Ma Durga,having bhog, wearing new clothes, watching films, reading puja barshiki — my list of Puja plans doesn’t seem to end. I’ve shopped a lot and the scent of new clothes is already giving me the Puja feel. I love wearing ethnic outfits during the festival and complete the look with bindi and jewellery. This year Ridhima (Ghosh) and Gourav (Chakrabarty) will be in town for Puja, so the happiness is set to double!
Bibriti Chatterjee
ON HER CHARACTER
As a debutante, I couldn’t have asked for more. I play Meera, who is in a close relationship with Satyakam Das. She is a homely girl who has a lot of respect for her father. Her only connection with the outside world is when she steps out to buy groceries and she only opens up to Satyakam. Arindamda did workshops with me to help me get under the skin of the character. He is so good at simplifying things. On the first day, he told me how he perceives Meera and I just followed his instructions. Meera’s body language at home and with Satyakam are completely different, so I had to learn the art of switching over from one mode to another.

ON HER SHOOTING EXPERIENCE
The working experience was both lovely and enriching. I also learnt what team spirit is all about. Arindamdahad asked me to go on a diet but it is impossible to stay away from food at his unit — breakfast to dinner, everything is so elaborate! But I still managed. On my first day in Mussoorie, I went out shopping with Sohinidi(Sarkar) and we started bonding right away. We returned walking hand in hand (smiles)! Rahulda shared fitness tips with me, and it worked. It was his idea to have a glass of bottle gourd mixed with capsicum juice every morning. What I loved about this unit was how everyone was always ready to help.
ON HER DURGA PUJA PLANS
My Durga Puja starts with listening to Chandi Pathon Mahalaya and watching Durga Durgatinashinion TV. We organise Durga Puja at home, so it’s all the more fun for me. The idol is made by my uncle right in our house, so we start feeling festivity in the air way in advance. Last year, I was stuck in Mumbai for a shoot, so this time I am going to make up for lost time. I have my debut film releasing on Puja, so it can’t get any better. Seeing myself on the big screen will surely be an unmatchable experience. I am planning to catch up with all my friends and relatives. I’ll go out, relax, chill, sleep without setting an alarm, and of course, eat to my heart’s content!
Sauraseni Maitra
ON HER CHARACTER
I play Chumki, who is a shy, timid and demure girl. She has never seen the outside world and thus has no exposure. When Satyakam gets murdered, Chumki is the most affected, as there was a hint of an affair between the two. Chumki speaks in the Kumilla dialect, which was not easy to adapt but I am thankful to my director for helping me get the hang of it. Arindamda provided me with a few audio clips of the dialect, which I used to hear all the time to get into the skin of the character. Chumki has a lot of shades and the film documents her transition from a demure girl to a lady with a defining personality.

ON HER SHOOTING EXPERIENCE
With Captain Sil steering the ship, the Byomkesh Gowtro team was incredible. What I liked the most was that there was no groupism among senior and junior actors. To Arindamda, everyone was equal. The whole unit would come together for everything — starting from breakfast to dinner. We also bonded over the World Cup and watched the matches together. I was the selfconfessed faux pas queen on the sets and Abirda (Chatterjee), who has literally become a sleuth in real life too, would invariably spot it every time — god knows how! And, anyone who works with Arindamda is bound to put on 2-3 kilos as food plays an essential role at his shoots.
ON HER DURGA PUJA PLANS
I still can’t believe I have a film releasing on Durga Puja this year! I am both nervous and excited at the same time. My friends and family have already booked my dates as they want me to accompany them to the theatre. Besides that, I’m looking forward to puja parikrama and a series of adda sessions. Starting Mahalaya, I am seen only in traditional clothes. And on the four days of Puja, I like to stick to saris. However, on Navami, I might opt for something western since I go pubbing with my school friends. From gorging on road-side double egg chicken roll to taking a ride on merry-go-round — my Puja plans are endless.