For director Soukarya Ghosal, delays are just another learning curve

Soukarya Ghosal is not just a filmmaker. He’s a screenwriter, illustrator, music composer and above all, a relentless learner. “I’ve made only six films in the last 11 years. That’s just one film every two years,” he said with a candid laugh. “Not a great record if you ask someone from the Bengali film market. But it’s never been about the numbers for me,” he added.

Soukarya isn’t in a race. Each of his films is a personal and original story that he’s written himself. “My stories are like novels - 150 to 180 pages long. It takes time to write them. I don’t pick things off the shelf. Even if I’ve been inspired by a text or a play, I rewrite it from scratch. That process itself is half the journey,” said the ‘Bhootpori’ director.

Time plays a huge role in his career, whether it’s the time it takes to write, to shoot or to release a film. ‘Pokkhirajer Dim’, his follow-up to the 2018 hit children’s fantasy Bengali film ‘Rainbow Jelly’, was shot in 2023. But it’s 2025 now and the film has been released. “It takes time. A film doesn’t hit theatres right after the shoot. It often takes a year, sometimes two. I’ve learned not to panic. ‘Bhootpori’ was made in 2019 and released only in 2024. But it ran for 50 days. That says something,” he smiled.

The waiting period, while uncertain, has turned out to be productive for him. “When I didn’t have the money to make the title card of ‘Rainbow Jelly’, I learned animation. That’s how animation came into my life. This time, for ‘Pokkhirajer Dim’, I had to understand architectural layouts. So, I learned ‘AutoCAD’. That’s the only way I know to deal with a crisis - learn something new,” he said.

Despite all this, Soukarya remains grounded in his artistic instincts. “I try to do my own storyboards. It helps me think and helps me build the world in my head. I come from an artist’s background and I haven’t let go of that part of me,” said the maker, whose debut Bengali film ‘Pendulum’ in 2014 made a lot of noise.

His casting choices also come from instinct. Speaking of Anirban Bhattacharya, who plays a scientist in ‘Pokkhirajer Dim’, he said, “Anirban is brilliant. He’s played all sorts of roles. But I hadn’t seen him do something for kids. I had watched his comic timing in several places and I just felt he’d make a wonderful, quirky teacher. So, I went with that feeling.”

In a fast-paced industry where filmmakers are constantly racing to stay relevant, Soukarya is quietly doing what he believes in - telling honest stories, learning new skills and accepting the wait. “Waiting is also part of the journey,” he said. “You just keep learning. That’s the only way to sail through.”