Being a fast learner is the key: Dev

Actor-producer Dev is motivated by learning from mistakes instead of dwelling on failures. He is dedicated to pushing his craft’s boundaries, whether he’s playing Byomkesh or taking on the role of Bagha Jatin. ‘Bagha Jatin’ is his first pan-India and Hindi release and Dev is confident about its potential. In a chat with ‘Millennium Post’, he discussed the challenges of making period films, learning from mistakes and more.

How did you summarise Bagha Jatin’s eventful life, given that he passed away at the age of 35, in a two-hour film?

Capturing the achievements of a freedom fighter like Bagha Jatin in a two-hour film was a challenge. In the film, we have also shown other freedom fighters like Khudiram Bose and Rash Behari Bose and how they all cross paths.

Director Arun Roy wanted it to be a two-part film.

Arun (da) approached me with the idea of ‘Bagha Jatin’. When we met, he suggested making a two-part film about Bagha Jatin. However, I had reservations about what we’d show in the second part. Bagha Jatin is a well-known historical figure and although we may not know all the details, we are familiar with his story. It’s not like films like ‘Pushpa’, ‘Baahubali’ or ‘KGF’, where there’s a new story in part two. Bringing ‘Bagha Jatin’ to the screen is challenging, even with today’s technology and VFX. It’s a tough story to adapt for the screen, which is why no one has attempted it before. But I believe we’ve done justice to the tale and when the audience watches the film, they’ll be transported to that era. Today, we enjoy independence, but many have sacrificed their lives for it. While some are celebrated in history books, others have been forgotten.

Making a grand historical film in Bengali cinema is not common. What were the logistical challenges you had to overcome?

It wasn’t just the logistics; the most challenging part was crafting the script. With so many events and each character like Khudiram Bose, Rash Behari Bose, Aurobindo Ghosh and Barin Ghosh having their own stories, creating a cohesive narrative was crucial. We also had to depict the pivotal tiger-killing scene and showcase Bagha Jatin’s family life. The real challenge lay in scripting the story. In terms of pre-production, we dedicated over two years to the project.

Bengali films like ‘Bagha Jatin’ and ‘Raktabeej’ are making their way to the Hindi market after ‘Chengiz’.

It’s a good time. South Indian cinema has shown how gradual progress can make a big impact. Starting with small steps is important and the release of Bengali films in Hindi is a positive move that expands the audience and market.

You’ve had a puja release almost every year. Do you experience jitters leading up to the release?

Yes, I do have Friday jitters. Every film is a big deal and its success depends on the audience’s reaction. My audience has been loyal and I’m grateful for that. Even during the post-COVID-19 period when movies weren’t doing well, my audience came to watch my films in theaters and I’ll always appreciate their support. I’m optimistic about ‘Bagha Jatin’ too. There’s not much widely known about him, so it’s important to introduce history from a young age and cinema is a great way to educate people.

You recently had the release of ‘Byomkesh O Durgo Rahasya’ and soon after ‘Bagha Jatin’, you’ll be seen in ‘Pradhan’ in December. It seems like an annual tradition for you to deliver three films.

I make films for my audience and I’m grateful for their continued support. ‘Bagha Jatin’ and ‘Byomkesh O Durgo Rahasya’ were projects I couldn’t resist. With ‘Pradhan’, I’m confident the audience will be in for another surprise. It’s not just the audience that needs to change. We, as creators, must evolve as well. Films are integral to our lives and staying updated is essential. Take, for instance, Bumba da (Prosenjit Chatterjee), who consistently reinvents himself. I decided to shift from remakes to original content, which has proven to be a rewarding decision.

It appears that you are competing with yourself.

We all face failures, but being a fast learner is the key. The faster you learn from your mistakes, the quicker you’ll grow.