‘Was skeptical about doing OTT’

Tollywood actor Mimi Chakraborty is a big fan of OTT. When asked about her favourites, she excitedly lists them all in one breath. Surprisingly, despite being an avid OTT watcher, she was nervous about making her OTT debut. “Till now, I’ve been part of films on the big screen. You know, people usually stay through the film in theaters, whether it’s good or bad. But with OTT, it’s different. We’re at home in our night suits, browsing through content and the remote gives us the power to switch instantly if a scene or episode loses our interest. I was skeptical,” said Mimi, who is receiving rave reviews for her strong portrayal of lawyer Pritha Roy in her debut Bengali OTT series ‘Jaha Bolibo Shotto Bolibo’, inspired by the Bapi Sen case. She also mentioned that the makers have taken some creative liberties to draft the story.

This isn’t the first time Mimi has done a courtroom drama. Her portrayal of lawyer Kavya Sinha in the 2017 film ‘Dhanonjoy’ received much appreciation. However, Mimi was determined not to let Pritha become another version of Kavya. She refrained from drawing any references to films or content. Reflecting on her early career, Mimi recalled receiving DVDs of South Indian films remade in Bengali but consciously choosing not to watch them. “I knew if I watched them, it’d influence my performance. So, I avoided them and instead focused on adding my touch to the character after reading the script. In the case of ‘Jaha Bolibo Shotto Bolibo’, I solely relied on the script. I did my homework well,” said the ‘Khaad’ actor.

Fresh off the success of her Durga Puja release ‘Raktabeej’, the actor-turned-TMC MP is riding high. However, she candidly admits to facing challenges when films like ‘Mini’ and ‘Khela Jawkhon’ didn’t fare well at the box office. Known for her straightforward nature, she doesn’t shy away from expressing her feelings of devastation when a film doesn’t succeed.

“Filmmaking is a collaborative effort and sometimes it clicks, while at other times it doesn't. Mainak Bhaumik wrote the script of ‘Mini’ for me and I was deeply involved with Arindam Sil’s ‘Khela Jawkhon’. Both filmmakers are close to me. In the past, I used to do four films a year, moving quickly from one project to another. Now, with only two films a year, I spend more time on each project, leading to greater emotional, physical and psychological involvement with the character or film. So, when a film doesn’t perform well, it feels really bad. Even from a secure place, you feel insecure. Questions like, ‘Weren’t these the best directors?’ or ‘Should I collaborate with new filmmakers?’ cloud your mind. I also wonder if the audience’s love has diminished. So many thoughts come to the mind,” said the ‘Bojhena Se Bojhena’ actor.

Also a singer, Mimi is eagerly awaiting the release of her next rap song, ‘Bhallagchena’. Penned by the actor herself, the song addresses the questions frequently posed to her. “There was a time when cinema was my life, but now it's a part of it. I want to explore different things too. I have a passion for singing and ‘Bhallagchena’ is an expression of everything that concerns me,” she signed off.