Captivated by Rajkahini concept: Ahsan

Bangladeshi actor Jaya Ahsan, who is starring in Indian film director Srijit Mukherjee’s ambitious film “Rajkahini”, says she was captivated by the story.

The soft-spoken actor finds the entire concept of the film unique where the story revolves around Begum Jan, portrayed by Rituparna Sengupta.

Jaya, who enacts Begum Jan’s confidante, says the movie tells the story of the marginalised section, the have-nots, who fall prey to every machination.

“Srijit seeks to probe why there is a fight between different groups. For gaining what? If we fight and squabble, whose cause is served?” she said.

She, however, regrets that despite sharing the same cultural identity, food habit and language, she has to carry a passport to come here.

“I belong to Bangladesh and Srijitda to India... Had there been no borders, neither <g data-gr-id="37">me</g> nor <g data-gr-id="38">him</g> would have to carry a passport to visit each other. We are working in the same film which is again in <g data-gr-id="36">Bengali</g> language. But still we are from separate geographical frontiers,” Jaya said. 

Expressing reservation about what is passed off as <g data-gr-id="39">Bangal</g> dialect (the language spoken by people of Bangladesh) here, she recalled, “I pointed out to Srijitda during workshops that we don’t speak in that dialect.

“In fact, different regions of Bangladesh - like Jessore and <g data-gr-id="28">Rajsahi</g> - have their own unique dialect and if we wish to bring authenticity in the film, there should be adequate groundwork on linguistics front.”

The actor, whose debut Indian film was Arindam Sil's “<g data-gr-id="31">Abarto</g>”, feels the independent Bengali films in Bangladesh were really good <g data-gr-id="32">conceptually</g> but the industry has not flourished the way it has evolved in India.

“Talks are on with both renowned and new directors here in Bengal for a few projects,” she said.