With around 10 Bangla films and a few in Hindi due for release, Rituparna Sengupta is in a happy place. The cherry on the cake is her film Mahishasur Marddini being screened recently at the IHC Theatre Festival, held at the India Habitat Centre, Delhi. “A film being screened at a theatre festival seldom happens... it is a matter of great pride for us. Director Ranjan Ghosh and the team have experimented with style, theatre-like, which led to the film being selected,” says the actor, over the phone from Delhi. A special screening was also held at Jamia Millia Islamia.
Mahishasur Marddini is the story of the metamorphosis of a woman, a modern interpretation of Goddess Durga’s where she plays an astronaut. The action is based on what happens over the course of a single night. It is a beautiful story!” says Rituparna. It is one among a clutch of films in her kitty that has her excited. With experience spanning more than three decades in the film industry, the National award-winning actor has been able to land projects with strong female protagonists. Among these are Hindi and Bengali projects such as Antar Drishti, made in four languages including Bengali, Kaal Trighori, Salt, Ithar, Womaniya, and Jihad, due for release across platforms.
“Things have changed today. I have done more interesting work after I got married and had children. Some of my important films and the big hits came after my marriage. I broke the taboo that women would be disregarded for roles once that [marriage] happens. If your skill set is rooted in work, then who is to stop you? I have women-oriented films coming my way,” she says.
Her success over the last few years and the diversity of roles illustrate her point — Ahaa Re (2019), screened at the virtually-held New York Film Festival, got praise for her portrayal of Basundhara, a grief-stricken woman negotiating her way through life. In Mukherjee Dar Bou (2019), she essayed a psychiatrist while her 2020 thriller Parcel also fetched acclaim. Recently she appeared in Belashuru, the sequel to Belasheshe, a popular family drama.
Although her films are streaming on OTT platforms and with most actors irrespective of language [industry] exploring the medium, she is yet to move with an exclusive show or film for OTT as she is waiting for the right project. With the pandemic-induced change in viewing patterns, she believes OTT has contributed to women getting diverse roles, beyond the cliches — mother, daughter or romantic interest. “It is not just the women, even men are doing such different roles. I have great respect for Pankaj Tripathi and Manoj Bajpayee — they are doing such amazing work!”
Over the years Rituparna has constantly reinvented herself to stay relevant in a rapidly changing industry. Age is just a number, she says. “Every phase has its charm and glory. For the past three decades, I have been fighting for the best [roles] every day.”
Like most celebrities, Rituparna also engages with her fans over social media, primarily Instagram. She is, however, cautious. “You are judged irrespective of what you do, it is a sensitive space. I ‘play’ it very carefully,” says the actor who divides her time between Mumbai, Kolkata and Singapore, where her family is based.
