Rajkahini will remain as a milestone in my career: Priyanka Sarkar

Since it's trailer launch, Srijit Mukherji's Rajkahini has garnered a lot of attention. Ahead of the film's release, actress Priyanka Sarkar, who plays Lata in the movie, dons the hat of a guest writer and pens her experiences during the shoot.
Rahul, my husband, would often get angry with me for not taking calls then.My mobile was as good as a paperweight, he would quip.But what could I do? I was at my wit's end taking care of Shohoj, our little one. Most of the time, when the phone rang, I would either be changing his diaper or struggling to get him to eat. Exactly a year back, the phone rang one day as I was in the middle of a PT Ushaesque run after Shohoj.Collecting both my son and the phone, I saw it was Srijitda calling. Srijit Mukherji?
-Yes Srijitda, tell me. -How is the little one? -He is fine.
-Listen, I'm making a film.Have you started working again? Instantly, my surroundings took on a richer hue. The light was brighter. Of course, I wanted to start working and what could be better if it was a Srijit Mukherji film? There were 11 of us at the Shree Venkatesh Films office on the day of the script reading.Funnily , that was not the final cast of Rajkahini. But I will not go into who did which role and who replaced whom -that is cinema for you, full of glorious uncertainty .
Usually , there is a discussion and exchange of opinions after a script reading. But we couldn't this time -none of us was in that mental state. Some had gone quiet, others were crying, some gulped down a lump in the throat. Only Ritudi knew which role she was playing. The rest of us didn't even know who was to play whom. All that mattered was that we were doing the film.
The workshop started soon after this. It was not the usual script sessions, but handling guns, wielding lathis and in some cases, picking up dialects.And for some, like me, the unlikely habit of using expletives. I remember one specific night, while I was practicing my lines, Rahul woke up to watch me with a weird expression. He had never seen, or rather, heard me like that! The workshop yielded some fantastic friendships. Saayoni's folk songs, Sohini's pranks, Ena's childish queries -the bond was getting stronger. We were apprehensive about Jayadi (Jaya Ahsan), the star from across the border who had been to Cannes. We had our own superstar, Ritudi, and National Award-winning Sudiptaadi, but they were one of us. However, the apprehension went for a toss when we came to know Jayadi. It was as if we knew her for ages and finally, the real significance of Rajkahini dawned on us.Language, food habits, sentiments, customs -everything was the same. Yet, we were `foreigners' because of political reasons. If Bangladesh is 'foreign', then so is our mother tongue, right?
The shooting wasn't a bed of roses, thanks to the split personality of our director, Srijit Mukherji. The person who is delightful company over adda, was a terror on the sets. As our list of complaints against his strictness grew, so did our bonding, and the unbearable cold of the winter in Suri! Delivering your lines became the morning riyaz of a trained classical singer, while our usual movements became Brazilian belly dancing -Sohini would vouch for that. Finally, when everyone would go off to sleep, Sohoj would wake up. Parno's pastime was to carry him to all rooms and he would press the doorbell and wake us all up. Throughout the shoot, Ritudi would take good care of all of us.
Rajkahini will remain as a milestone in my career. Art is very subjective. Some might even find the Taj Mahal ugly , so how can I say they will like the most significant film of my career? I can only tell you that the script didn't let me sleep for nights and while dubbing, I couldn't hold back tears many times. I know that the film will remain with people for years.And even if it doesn't for some, I am still proud of it. Of my co-artistes. Of the film. Of the dream.