'Lust isn't about being raunchy'

Director Anjan Das is hot and bothered. The dust and the heat of Purulia are weighing on his heath. But he hasn't let that affect his spirit.
He has pumped his sytem with antibiotics just to be able to shoot Bedeni on a hillock, far from the madding crowd. This hillock in Narayanpur dungri where Das is shooting is also the same place where Buddhadeb Dasgupta had shot Uttara.'In fact, Buddhada had told me to scout for locations in Purulia. I needed a vast space to pitch a circus and fair tent. Of course, Purulia has been photographed extensively in Bengali films. But our cinematographer, Asim Bose, and I are trying to give a different look to the same landscape. We are going for 'longish long shots',' Das says.
So, what is Rituparna Sengupta bringing to the table considering she is playing a woman who leaves her husband to marry another man only to ditch him for another man? 'Rituparna is super busy. Yet, she makes it a point to do so much homework. That's what comes across when she is doing a role such as this,' Das insists. Rajesh Sharma, who plays Rituparna's husband, also has an interesting character. 'Rajesh's character is shown growing old and becoming an alcoholic. Ritu falls for a ringmaster after Rajesh turns impotent.'
Ask Das why he has cast Indraneil Sengupta as the ringmaster and he says, 'I wanted someone with a muscular physique. Chowal bhanga, gal bhanga ekta look dorkar chhilo. There wasn't anyone else in Tollywood who could look the part. I've told Indraneil that if he needs to keep his ears open and listen to whatever I'm telling him. I'm also acting it out the portions for him that he can't seem to get a hang of.'
Considering that the film, based on a Tarashankar Bandopadhyay work, also dwells on issues like lust and love, one wonders how the lovemaking scenes are being shot? Will they be the boldest that Tollywood has seen? 'There is a scene where Rajesh attempts to sleep with Ritu but fails. Ritu tells him: 'Tui toh ekhon ar pirit korte paris na.' To this, Rajesh says: 'Ek kale toh partam.' However, I will not be graphic when it comes to showing lust. There is an intimate scene between the ringmaster and the daughter of the circus owner played by Rimjhim Gupta. I have Rituparna watching this scene through a hole in the tent. Lust isn't about being raunchy. When I've watched movies at international film fests, I've always noticed how aesthetically lovemaking scenes are shot. In my own way, I've tried to incorporate that sensibility here. I don't know how it'll shape up. But I'm trying.'
Meanwhile, Das' Achin Pakhi is slated for release on March 26. As a parting shot, the director adds, 'That's a commercial film. I will be returning to Kolkata on March 20.'
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