KOLKATA: No one knows the city quite like a policeman. They explore every corner and witness the city in all its shades, from the darkest hours to the brightest moments.
Debasish Dutta, Officer-in-Charge of Burtolla Police Station, offers a unique perspective on Kolkata. Beyond the crumbling buildings of the north and the soaring skyscrapers of the south, he sees a different side of the city.
Through his six-episode series ‘Tilottamar Goppo,’ he aims to share this hidden charm. And just before Durga Puja, the 18-minute first episode, titled ‘Amar Dugga’ will start streaming on YouTube on September 27 where Dutta will highlight Kolkata and the fervor around Puja.
Initially, the Kolkata police officer thought about making it an audio presentation. However, he later decided that an audio-visual presentation would be more engaging for the subject. In his story, a newlywed couple will act as storytellers. Dutta collaborated with his 1996 Kolkata Police batchmate, Inspector of Kolkata Police Pallab Mallakar, on ‘Tilottamar Goppo.’ “I shared the plot with Pallab, and together, we created the narrative,” said Dutta, who is also the director of the short series.
Dutta, a student of English, believes that no other profession in the world can provide such a diverse range of experiences as that of a policeman. “Not a single day is the same for us. One moment, we may encounter people deeply in love, and in the next, we may confront cases where a father has tortured his own daughter. This unique perspective allows us to see the city and its residents in a different light,” the Kolkata police officer said. When asked if he’s interested in directing web series and films, Dutta said: “There’s a shortage of time. We shot the episodes in the morning and after our duty hours. I usually try to write stories after 11 pm. Then, in the morning, we are back to being cops.”
Meanwhile, Dutta’s another story is becoming a movie soon. Titled ‘Kolkata Char,’ the film is directed by Dr Krishnendu Chatterjee of ‘Jomaloye Jibonto Bhanu’ fame. Dutta has also written lyrics for the film.