‘Hope Meghe Dhaka Tara re-releases on Ritwik Ghatak’s birth centenary’

‘Sansare ektao taka nei’. Ananya Chatterjee’s character somberly asserts in a scene in Kamaleswar Mukherjee’s ‘Meghe Dhaka Tara’, a 2013 Bengali film inspired by the life and works of maestro Ritwik Ghatak. One would feel for Durga, her turmoil as the wife of a complex genius, Nilkanta Bagchi (played by Saswata Chatterjee). Take her stirring plea to Mamata Shankar in the National Award-winning film ‘Abohomaan’ as she asks her, “Rasta diye heten gele amake ke dekhbe’ or her portrayal of a victim of domestic abuse in ‘Mohomaya’ - Ananya’s acting shines with genuine emotion and complexity. Be it ‘Dwando’, ‘Abohomaan’, ‘Subarnalata’ or ‘Meghe Dhaka Tara’, Ananya’s performance in every work she has done, whether on TV, web series or films, highlights her sheer range and depth as an actor.

‘Meghe Dhaka Tara’ holds a special place in Ananya’s heart. Even to this day, she admits to experiencing ‘separation anxiety’ from Durga, a sentiment she shared on social media on Friday. Along with a photograph of her character, Ananya penned her deep connection to the role, expressing a desire to revisit it time and again. It’s been more than a decade since the film’s release, yet Ananya feels it was ahead of its time. She believes its unique stylisation and narrative might have been challenging for audiences to understand at the time. “The film didn’t do well at the box office, but I am happy that fans still remember its dialogues and scenes. The film holds archival value and should be taught in institutes,” she said.

Next year marks the birth centenary of avant-garde filmmaker Ritwik Ghatak. Ananya hopes that Mukherjee’s ‘Meghe Dhaka Tara’ will be re-released to honour the master filmmaker. She believes that audiences should have the opportunity to experience the film once again, which pays such a fitting tribute to Ghatak’s legacy.

Ananya is an actor par excellence is a known fact. Equally acknowledged is the reality that she hasn’t always been utilised to her full potential by Bengali makers even after her National Award-winning act in Rituparno Ghosh’s ‘Abohomaan’. Ananya herself acknowledges this. However, when she encounters characters with promise, such as those in films like Sayantan Ghosal’s ‘Madam Sengupta’ or Srijit Mukherji’s ‘Shotyi Bole Shotyi Kichhu Nei’, it reinstates her belief that good work is appreciated, even if it takes time. “I’m excited about my role in ‘Madam Sengupta’. It’s unlike any I've played before. And being part of the wonderful cast in ‘Shotyi Bole Shotyi Kichhu Nei’ brings me immense joy. I can’t wait to start shooting for the film,” she said. Ananya is also happy that Suman Mukhopadhyay’s ‘Putul Nacher Itikatha’ is finally releasing in September.

Srijit called her and offered a pivotal role in the legal drama, which features 10 male characters and two women characters. “The last time I worked with Srijit was in ‘Jaatishwar’, 10 years ago. But this is not a cameo. It’s an awesome character with so many layers,” said Ananya, who will begin shooting for the Bengali adaptation of Reginald Rose’s ‘12 Angry Men’ on June 10 in Kolkata.

‘Shotyi Bole Shotyi Kichhu Nei’ boasts a stellar star cast, led by Kaushik Ganguly, Kaushik Sen, Phalguni Chatterjee, Ritwik Chakraborty, Arjun Chakrabarty, Rahul Arunoday Banerjee, Suhotra Mukhopadhyay, Parambrata Chatterjee, Sauraseni Maitra, Anirban Chakrabarti and Kanchan Mullick. Ananya is eager to collaborate with this talented ensemble. “The benefit of working with so many accomplished actors is that it always enhances one’s performance,” said the ‘Laptop’ and ‘Tope’ actor.