Bengali TV audiences want variety: Solanki Roy

For the audiences, actress Solanki Roy has been convincing in any character she played in Bengali TV serials, be it Meghla in 'Ichche Nodi', Dr. Mrinalini in 'Phagun Bou', or Khori in 'Gaatchora'. Despite her success, Solanki often felt “trapped” by the demanding nature of the industry, with exhausting 14-16 hour workdays. Now that she has stepped away from serials for a while, she misses the hustle and bustle of TV production. However, her role as Apala in Debaloy Bhattacharya’s web series 'Bokabaksho Te Bondi' made her revisit her TV career, portraying an actress caught between reality and fiction. “Apala comes from a different background. The only similarity between Apala and me is that we both have been working in television for a long time. However, Apala's way of life and perspectives are very different from how I perceive my own life,” she said.

Solanki was last seen on TV as Khori in ‘Gaatchora’ two years ago. Since then, she has focused more on big-screen and OTT. Despite this shift, she still misses her TV days. “I worked in TV for a long time. I miss the relationships we formed, and at times, I do miss the hustle. I miss my co-actors,” she smiled.

At one time, Bengali serials were more popular than Bengali films, and this trend continues today. However, in recent times, several serials have been discontinued just a few months after production began. Recently, actress Basabdatta Chatterjee arrived on the set of ‘Kar Kache Koi Moner Kotha’ only to learn it was the very last day of shooting. “It's unfortunate that the makers didn't inform the crew beforehand about the serial ending abruptly. I believe, the audiences are finding it difficult to relate to some of the Bengali TV serials now. Viewers might want to see different kinds of stories. When all shows follow a similar pattern, it can become less appealing. In the past, channels had diverse offerings, but now some series struggle to stand out,” said Roy, who was last seen on the big screen in ‘Shohorer Ushnotomo Dine’.

For the past year, Solanki has been shuttling between Kolkata and Mumbai, trying her hand in the Hindi entertainment industry. Like every actor in Mumbai, she is going through auditions. “Things take time in Mumbai. There, I am comparatively new. Every role requires auditions. Even A-listers sometimes need to go through the process, and I am also going through it. Some will work, and some won’t, but that’s part of the game,” said the ‘Baba Baby O’ actor. That she is in a relationship with Soham Majumdar is no secret now. While trolls about her personal life used to bother her, they no longer do. “The online conversation and trolling are so insensitive that it would be difficult to move on. I would lose perspective. With time, maturity, and age, I’ve learned to let others talk and not listen if I don’t want to” she said.

In fact, she has worked with Soham in Sourav Chakraborty’s ‘Saarey Shaitirish’, which is based on a dystopian society. The series has been lying in the cans. “I watched a few episodes and loved the unique concept. That kind of series has never happened in Bengal. I hope it releases soon,” she said.