This story is from March 7, 2008

‘My daughter doesn’t see my films’

AMRITA ROYCHOUDHURY / TNN / Mar 7, 2008, 00:00 IST

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His wife has her ways to rid him off his occasional starry tantrums. Actor Rajatava Dutta gets candid with CT about his villainous self, donning the judge’s hat and his inclination for commercial ventures.

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Rajatava Dutta (TOI Photo) ��She doesn��t watch my films at all. She would watch cartoons instead,�� says Rajatava.
You career kickstarted with an Aparna Sen venture. What made you switch to television?
I didn��t start my career with Sen��s ParomitarEkdin but I agree that it is my first BO success. And with it, came recognition.But my first film was Tapan Sinha��s Ajob Gayer Ajob Katha. Sadly, this venture was a dud at the box-office. As far as my telly stint goes, can we deny that we are here for the money and nearly 70 per cent of the total amount circulated in the industry comes from television? It has the maximum viewership too. So, why settle for less?
But you don��t seem to be doing much offbeat ventures now. Are commercial films your fort��?

When I did Paromitar Ekdin, there were only two or three films credited to my name. But today, I can boast of having done over 40 films. Let me remind you that commercial ventures have a greater reach. So, I feel, it��s better to do a commercial film for two lakh people than to be critically acclaimed by a handful.
You are the quintessential villain of commercial Bengali films. Aren��t you tired of being typecast?
Would you ask a similar question to a lead actor? Then why ask a villain? There are four important characters in a commercial venture �� hero, heroine, villain and comedian. I cannot play a hero and the world knows why. So that leaves me with two options. I have played a villain and a comedian, both with equal elan. Before I sign a film, I consider its pros and cons and once I��ve done that, I surrender myself to the director. Till now, I��ve played the role of a minister in more than seven ventures. But each one is distinct. I constantly experiment with my looks, voice and acting skills. These help me mature as an actor.

But how does Bristisnata, your daughter, react to the kind of films you do?
She doesn��t watch my films at all. She would watch cartoons instead. In her opinion, her father goes to a place where he puts on a lot of make-up and then returns home at the end of the day.
Ever considered yourself to be an underrated actor?
Not at all. I started my career from scratch. Initially, I played an extra and slogged real hard to make my presence felt. I consider that everything I��m getting today is just pore paoa choddo aana and I have no complaints.
Are you choosy about your projects?
Tollywood is a small place that leaves little option to be choosy. Those who try to portray a ��choosy�� self either don��t know what they are saying or they are simply lying. But yes, I keep in mind a few things like the director, the script and the banner when I sign a film.
And what��s there in your kitty for now?
Sujit Guha��s Ronny Bonny, Ashish Roy��s Agnishikha, Sanjay Dhabade��s Dugga, Haranath Chakraborty��s Bajimaat, Swapan Ghoshal��s Mahakal, Kamal Roy��s Juti, Swapan Saha��s Golmaal and Anindo Banerjee��s untitled venture.
Any directorial plans for future?
I lack the leadership skills to get things done by an entire unit. I satisfy my creative urge by sharing opinions with my other director friends. I don��t crave for directorial fame.
What about theatre?
I feel that theatre is a time consuming affair and one needs to rehearse for a month or so to stage a successful play. I am hard pressed for time with my current projects.
With Mirakkel 2 coming back again, will you be judging it? What about being a celeb judge on other reality shows?
I will be judging Mirakkel 2 as I was part of the first one too. But with time being a constraint, my judge��s role has to be kept on hold.
You were recently spotted at a theatre house watching Amar Protigya with your friends.
I do this for all my films. For me, it is very important to know how the audience reacts to my character and dialogues.
Were you happy with their reaction?
Very happy, indeed. But also this wasn��t the first time that I was excited.
You have also featured in Basu Chatterjee��s Hochheta Ki...
I didn��t quite like his Hotath Bristi. But when he approached me for this venture, I liked it immensely. Thanks to him, I got to portray a different image as a second lead. At the age of 77, the director is growing from strength to strength. I would turn into a vegetable at his age.
Has stardom changed you?
This industry has little scope for self exploration. So the stardom concept is absent here. But I haven��t changed at all. I��m grateful to my family for helping me out. My wife is a lawyer and we don��t discuss films at home. If, at times, I try to display my pride and throw tantrums, then, my wife resorts to her special ways to tone me down.
Lastly, you aren��t much of a party animal.
That��s because I don��t drink. I love to come back home and spend my evenings with my family and a close group of friends discussing everything except work.

End of Article

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