Paoli Dam: Playing Suchitra Sen onscreen is the most cherished moment in my career

In Parambrata Chattopadhyay’s ‘Abhijaan’, the biopic of Soumitra Chattopadhyay, Paoli Dam will once again take on the role of Bengal’s matinee queen Suchitra Sen after playing a character inspired by Suchitra Sen in a TV serial a few years ago. The seasoned actress is emotional and thrilled at the same time to play such an iconic figure on screen. Ahead of ‘Abhijaan’s release tomorrow Paoli shares with us how it felt to play the reclusive queen on screen.

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“I don’t want to use words like challenging to express how I felt when I faced the camera as Suchitra Sen. It’s a blessing for me. Previously I played a character inspired by Suchitra Sen in a TV serial and this time again the huge responsibility on my shoulder. I must thank Parambrata for giving me this opportunity,” shares an excited Paoli.

“Suchitra Sen’s style statement has always fascinated me. Her simple yet royal elegance made her stand out from others during that time. She’s quite different from others in her fashion choices and it always inspired me. I still remember the day when dressed like her and was seeing myself in front of the camera. It felt surreal. The way people had accepted me at that time while playing the character inspired by Suchitra Sen I felt blessed,” reveals the seasoned actor.

Sharing her experience of working in Parmabrata’s film an emotional Paoli says, “In ‘Abhijaan’, I am playing her once again. It’s a huge responsibility. In the film, you would get to see a popular scene from Soumitra Chattopadhyay and Suchitra Sen starrer Bengali cult classic. Also, the off-screen chemistry between them has also been explored nicely.”

The versatile actor adds, “Every actor has this dream to play an iconic character in his/her career. And, I have been blessed to play Mahanayika Suchitra Sen twice. I think nothing can be more fulfilling than this. The more I took part in the shooting, the greater I had an intimate knowledge about her life.”