Honesty drives my choices in films & life: Subhashree

If you had met Subhashree five years ago, you’d probably remember her as the chirpy, giggly girl with a bright smile. But today, she’s far more composed in her laughter, her emotions, even her choices, both personal and professional. “There’s no greater lesson than what life teaches you,” she said. And she’s lived through that truth. Coming from Burdwan, over 100 km away from Kolkata, Subhashree was a small-town girl with big dreams when she entered the Bengali film industry through a talent hunt show. Today, she is one of the leading actresses in Bengali cinema.

Her latest blockbuster ‘Grihapravesh’, where she plays Titli, has been running in theatres for over 50 days. Now, she is all set for her next big release, ‘Dhumketu’. Amid the frenzy, she still finds time for mini getaways with her husband-director Raj Chakraborty or playful moments with her two little ones, Yuvaan and Yalini.

Ask her what the success of ‘Grihapravesh’ means to her, especially since her performance has found such resonance and she answers with quiet humility. “I feel only gratitude. I am extremely happy for Indradip Dasgupta. He went through a lot of hurdles to make this film. When everything was finalised, I got pregnant for the second time in 2023. He decided to wait for me till I delivered the baby and got fit. So, I am happy for him. Also, I am grateful that the audiences took the time to watch our film,” she said.

But doesn’t box office success make her happy, too? She smiled and said, “Of course. People loved Titli and now expect even more from me. But happiness is subjective. I become truly happy when my kids hug me the moment I enter home.” Her world revolves around Yuvaan and Yalini. No matter how packed the day is, she never skips checking on them. She’s mastered the art of balancing work and motherhood. Even during our telephonic chat, she paused once or twice to answer her son’s curious questions.

Many in the industry believe that Subhashree’s true evolution as an actress began with ‘Parineeta’ in 2019, where she played Mehul in a performance directed by her husband. Post that, she’s done intense, layered roles in films like ‘Habji Gabji’, ‘Dharmajuddha’, ‘Bismillah’, ‘Babli’ and ‘Boudi Canteen’. “I believe in honesty, both in personal and professional lives. So, I know that if I’m honest towards the character, it’ll show and the audience will feel it,” she said.

“In fact, ‘Boudi Canteen’ still gets me a lot of love. The film might not have worked at the box office, but people still ask me about it in public places. The same goes for Babli. It’s one of the toughest characters I’ve done. I always feel that I have to be happy with myself first. Only then will I get such beautiful characters and be able to give birth to them. I treat every role as if I need to prove it’s my best work,” smiled the actress.

Subhashree’s journey began in 2008 with Prabhat Roy’s ‘Pitribhumi’, where she played Jeet’s sister. From that humble start, she went on to become his leading lady in hits like ‘Boss’, ‘Game’, ‘Abhimaan’ and ‘Boss 2’. While audiences loved their chemistry, it was her pairing with Dev that truly became iconic. Starting from films like ‘Challenge’, ‘Khokababu’, ‘Khoka 420’, ‘Romeo’ and ‘Paran Jai Jaliya Re’, every film they did together broke box office records. Songs from these films still dominate playlists. Recently, ‘Paran Jai Jaliya Re’ completed 16 years and is still counted among the highest-grossing Bengali films of all time. Let’s face it. After Jeet-Koel, the Dev-Subhashree duo is perhaps the most celebrated pairing in Bengali cinema. ‘Dhumketu’ is their last outing together till now. After that, they never even crossed paths, as both went their separate ways in their professional journeys and personal lives. And now, a decade later, ‘Dhumketu’ is finally making it to the big screens, bringing with it not just nostalgia, but also a wave of excitement. Directed by Kaushik Ganguly and shot in the hills of Nainital, this film also marked Dev’s first outing as a producer. Even though life has moved on for both, their fans haven’t stopped rooting for their on-screen magic.

From the teaser to the songs and then the mega reunion event of Dev-Subhashree at Nazrul Mancha, everything is trending, something no Bengali film lying in the cans for 10 years has managed to achieve. Just a day before the release of the film on Thursday, this much-celebrated onscreen pair of Bengali cinema went to Boro Maa at Naihati to seek her blessings. Truth be told, blessings have been bountiful for ‘Dhumketu’ even before the release. The advance booking has been historic, surpassing ‘War 2’ and ‘Coolie’, both releasing on the same day. The craze of the pair has been such that shows at 2 am and 7 am are houseful. But Subhashree is taking it all in her stride. “It was expected. Our pairing has always enjoyed popularity. I’m glad that after so many years, the film is releasing and our fans are rejoicing,” she said.

Even though Ganguly and Dev are confident of her performance in the film, Subhashree admits she’s a bit anxious. “Truth be told, I’m scared. I’ve evolved as an actor. People who’ve seen ‘Grihapravesh’ will want to see ‘Dhumketu’. But I wasn’t as evolved 10 years ago as I am now. But looking at the reaction of the audience after the trailer, I am confident,” she smiled.

Currently, she’s shooting for Aditi Roy’s series ‘Anusandhan’, where she plays a journalist. After that, there’s another powerhouse project lined up, Srijit Mukherji’s ‘Lawho Gouranger Naam Re’, where she portrays the iconic Binodini Dasi. “We shot in Puri and it was such a surreal experience,” she recalled.

When asked about sharing screen space with Dev again, something fans have long awaited, she answers like the thorough professional she is. “I’m a professional actress. I am ready to work, provided my character is strong. I only say yes to roles where my character means something to the story,” she said.