We’ve more choices but less patience now: Satabdi Roy

Imagine making your debut as a teenager in a cult classic like Tapan Sinha’s ‘Atanka’, ruling the box office for years with one hit after another and then suddenly stepping away from the arc lights for over 15 years. For most, that would’ve been a tough call, but Satabdi Roy isn’t like most people. Passion has always been her north star, whether it was acting or politics.

It all started back in 1986 when she stepped into the world of cinema with ‘Atanka’. The lessons she learnt from Sinha have stayed with her ever since. That same fire drove her to take the plunge into politics in 2009. And now, after four terms as TMC MP from Birbhum, Satabdi is back where audiences have always loved seeing her, the big screen. In Mainak Bhaumik’s new Bengali horror film ‘Batsorik’, Satabdi plays the sister-in-law of Ritabhari Chakraborty’s character, a young widow dealing with loss and perhaps something otherworldly. With a film career that saw her team up with the likes of Tapas Pal, Chiranjit Chakraborty and Prosenjit Chatterjee, it’s hard to believe she wasn’t offered films all these years. But Satabdi cleared the air. “I did get offers. But ever since I got into full-time politics in 2009, my constituency in Birbhum kept me really busy. Dates just never worked out,” she smiled.

Things clicked with ‘Batsorik’, both schedule-wise and script-wise. Satabdi liked how her character was shaped and she was already impressed with Mainak’s earlier work ‘Cheeni’. And yes, she does believe in ghosts, she added with a laugh.

Having spent nearly four decades in the industry, Satabdi has seen the changing tides of Bengali cinema. Coming back after so long, she appreciated the shorter shooting schedules. “These days, most Bengali films wrap in 10 days. That suits people like me with packed schedules. Back in the day, we had more time to hang out and talk on set. Now it’s all about professionalism. Everything’s quicker and more professional. Earlier, we had one camera. Now it’s three. Technology has made things easier,” said the ‘Gurudakshina’ actor. She’s also honest about the trade-offs. “Yes, it’s more convenient, but creativity does take a hit. Still, I get it. Budgets have always been tight in Bengali cinema. And with fewer screens available now, directors have it even harder.”

Even though she started off with Sinha’s film, Satabdi found the perfect balance between parallel and mainstream cinema. Her filmography, from Prabhat Roy and Tarun Majumdar to Sujit Guha, Anjan Choudhury and Haranath Chakraborty, is packed with box office winners. Yet, today, drawing people to theatres for a commercial Bengali film has become a real challenge. Ironically, her films like ‘Gurudakshina’, ‘Apan Aamar Apan’ and ‘Ekanta Apan’ are still a hit with audiences on TV.

Reminiscing about the ‘golden days’, she said, “Ekanta Apan ran for 23-25 weeks at Minar, Bijoli, Chhabighar and even in the districts. There was no urban-rural divide. Now, there’s a clear difference between a film playing in Inox and one running on a single screen in Burdwan. Directors like Anjan Choudhury just knew what the audience wanted. Sometimes we’d disagree with his dialogues, but he had a pulse on the people. Today, things have changed. We have way more choices, movies, TV, OTT but also far less patience.”

Satabdi’s journey hasn’t been without its share of drama. She had a fair share of controversies, too, including a famous rivalry with Debashree Roy. “Yes, we were rivals and didn’t talk. But now we do. We’re in touch and speak quite often,” she said, candid as ever. And did she face politics in the film world too? “There’s politics everywhere,” she shrugged. “But more than that, it’s manipulation. That’s just human nature.”

Though she’ll soon be busy again with the 2026 Bengal elections, Satabdi rarely watches films these days. “The last film I saw was ‘Khadaan’ because Dev invited me. I haven’t watched anything on OTT for six months. I prefer decorating my home in my free time,” said the ‘Devipaksha’ actor.

Few people know about her flair for poetry and she has even published books. But politics has taken up so much of her time that writing has taken a backseat. “I remember how Buddhadeb Guha came to my book launch and told me, ‘Even if you don’t feel like writing, sit at your desk every day’. But now, I barely find the time. I write when I can, but it’s no longer regular,” she sighed, a heavy sigh that said just how much she misses that part of her life. And would she be back soon for another Bengali film? To this, she smiled and said, “I need to watch a few Bengali films soon to understand the trend and market.”