Tanuja aunty instantly agreed to do ‘Sonar Pahar’ when I told her the story: Parambrata Chatterjee

It’s been three years since Parambrata Chatterjee’s last directorial ‘Lorai’ released. His first film as a director was ‘Jiyo Kaka’ back in 2011. Now the charismatic Bengali actor has once again returned to don the director’s hat. His next venture ‘Sonar Pahar’ is gearing up for a June release and it has already generated quite a lot of buzz for the unique subject that the film has promised to show.But the most interesting part about Parambrata’s ‘Sonar Pahar’ is the return of Tanuja in Bengali cinema and all credit goes to the actor-director for convincing the veteran actress to sign for this film.
In an exclusive interview with us, Parambrata pours his heart out at his office, as he spills the beans on his experience working with veteran actress Tanuja, the inspiration behind ‘Sonar Pahar’ and many other details. Here are the excerpts from the candid interview.
How did you manage to bring Tanuja on board for this film? What’s been your experience working with her?
Parambrata: I was looking for an actress of her age and also, someone who is far away from the film industry in recent times. I didn’t want anyone who hides her wrinkles to be in the glamorous world. But, Tanjua aunty has always been a free-spirited woman, who doesn’t care about holding on to an image. She is perfect to play a character who lives a real life and the best thing is the audience can easily relate to her. When I discussed the script with Tanuja aunty at her Lonavala Bungalow she accepted the offer instantly and said I am very happy that you are making a film on such a sensitive subject. I couldn’t believe it would be so easy to convince her.
How did you come out with such a unique subject?
Parambrata: See, children and elderly people often become the most helpless and needed ones. Because of our busy life and obsession with career, we are losing connection with our earlier generation increasingly. Also, underprivileged children have become a major concern these days. So, I thought why not link an elderly character with a very young boy and highlight their perspectives considering our fast lifestyle.
Is ‘Sonar Pahar’ inspired by your own life story?
Parambrata: Whenever you are writing a story for a film there will always be traces of the reality around you, traces of your personal life. It’s not just me, it happens to any creative person. I used to be quite close to my mother. She had an untimely demise back in 2014. My mother had published a book in 1988 based on adults, interestingly from the perspective of a child. The stories were mainly based on her experiences with me, and how I used to see the world. I reprinted the book in 2016. During that time the idea came to my mind, why not make a film inspired by the spirit of those stories narrated or the message they carried out.
How was it working with little Srijato aka Bitlu?
Parambrata: I love children. I have a habit of making friends from different age groups. I enjoy being with kids because I try not treat them as kids, I try to see them just like me. I think children often feel insulted when you are treating them as a child. Working with Srijato who plays the character Bitlu in this film was a great experience.
How important is your character in ‘Sonar Pahar’?
Parambrata: ‘Sonar Pahar’ is all about a 70-year-old woman and a 7-year-old kid. So my character is quite secondary here. I am the one who introduces Bitlu to the life of an elderly woman and then the story begins. Their journey is rather allegorical of all the ups and downs of our life when we embark on the journey to discover the ultimate treasure of life which is peace. The unique bonding or friendship also has a big role to play in the relationship between the elderly lady and her estranged son.