Mention Soumitra Chatterjee, and Satyajit Ray and his films come to mind like a reflex action. Hardly surprising considering that the former has acted in 14 films directed by the latter. But then there is more to this artist and that is precisely what Ipshita Gon Gupta’s documentary “Ray’s Apu” brings to fore. The actor can never be alienated from Ray, yet he is an institution in himself. “Even though his career started with ‘Apur Sansar’ yet if he did not have the versatility he could not have survived for three decades,” says the Ipshita.
Having mesmerised cinegoers with his varied roles and characters in different shades in films including “Apur Sansar”, “Kshudita Pashan”, “Teen Kanya”, “Charulata”, “Jhinder Bondi”, “Akash Kusum”, “Sonar Kela”, “Saat Pake Badha”, “Bela Seshe”, the actor sums up his work by simply stating: “It is a four-letter word which determines the quality of your work – love.” This is mirrored in his eyes and face when he talks about acting, its nuances and finer points. Ipshita’s film too reflects this emotion –– a “tribute from an admirer” –– focussing on the thespian who is a playwright, director, poet, painter besides been well known for reciting Rabindranath Tagore’s poems. Deciding to document the life of achievers, Soumitra was Ipshita’s first choice. “I thought of him, first out of admiration, second for the love of cinema and third to re-announce his identity beyond ‘Apu’.”
The film unfolds different stages of the actor’s life –– childhood, youth, theatre artist, film actor, family man and co-actor –– through a discussion between his daughter, Poulomi Bose and grandson, Ronodeep Bose. The conversation is interspersed by the actor’s comments and observations on his plays, films, Satyajit Ray and life, all engaging and interesting not only for his admirers but also those connected with the craft. For example, he states that an actor must know to underact and overact. “To overact means changing/enlarging diction, dialogue delivery, expression and gesture to a degree when it becomes visible and communicates (with the audience). Underacting is about bringing a semblance of life, an illusion of the real thing.” We see him on stage advising a co-actor how to emote laughter.
Years of experience shows when addressing theatre students, the actor emphasises the need for voice training and strengthening of legs besides watching plays and movies to improve oneself.
So great has been the commitment to profession that the performer learnt horse riding for Tapan Sinha’s “Kshudita Pashan” which proved useful in “Jhinder Bondi” in which he enacts a negative shade while for Ray’s “Abhijan” starring Waheeda Rehman he learnt driving. For Tapan Sinha’s “Wheelchair”, Soumitra practised on one for six months delivering such a life-like performance that a person confined to wheelchair remarked: “You look just like us.” Probably the best compliment an actor can hope for. Repeatedly he emphasises that acting must challenge one physically and mentally. The stills and shots of different movies talked about are shown to make the discourse engaging.
The 45-minute documentary makes optimum use of apt visuals to enhance the effectiveness of the narration along with dramatisation in some sequences showing the actor’s childhood and youth. When we are told that Ray picked up the actor for “Apur Sansar”, we see Soumitra being whisked away in a jeep. By using black and white shots to signify the past while showing the present in colour, Ipshita clearly delineates the two lending an aesthetic touch to the film.
The background score breaks the monotony of the narrative while ably complimenting Soumitra’s sonorous voice.
