"I am the No.1 actress in Bengal but I still have to prove myself in Mumbai." - Rituparna Sengupta

Rituparna Sengupta is among the top actresses of Bengal. She has won not only praises for her great acting but also numerous awards. She has charmed the audiences in Bengal with sterling performances in Paromitar Ek Din, Alo and Nishijapon among others. She was last seen in Bollywood films Main, Meri Patni Aur Woh and Unns: Love Forever. Rituparna talks to us about her latest venture Anuraanan and other movies as well.

Tell us about Anuraanan and your role.
Anuraanan is a beautiful film on relationships. It shows emotions like love. It wonderfully portrays the essence and passion of a marriage and even friendship. The film shows that some relationships which are undefined are also very beautiful. Anuraanan shows marriage in a completely different way.

One should watch Anuraanan to feel the intensity of human relationships- be it before marriage or after marriage or be it plain friendship. The film will have a mass impact and it will be loved by everybody.

I play Nandita, Rahul Bose's wife in the film. I play a very bubbly, full of life person with a very positive outlook towards life. My character takes life as it comes. She tries every moment to make her marriage beautiful and a success.

Is it true that you sang impromptu in the film?
Yes, I sang 4-5 lines in a song. I thought I was sounding very raw in it and I wanted my voice to be dubbed by somebody else in that song. But my director (Aniruddha Roy Chowdhury ) insisted that my voice should remain as a part of that song.

So, is music an integral part of the film?
Yes, music is a very vital part of the film. The music is different from the regular stuff. It is very interesting. There is a subtle feel to the music. It is trendy and yet it is soothing.

Do you think this film will be a trendsetter considering it is the first Bengali film to be shot in the UK?
Yes, the film will create a definite impact. The film has been shot in London as it was the requirement of the storyline and has not been forced in the picture. So, a lot of people will definitely take notice of it and like it. It is a very well made film. I hope everybody likes it.

How was it working with Rahul Bose, Rajat Kapoor and Raima Sen?
It was marvelous working with all of them. Rahul is very intense and a brilliant actor. Raima and I are good friends. We have worked together before in a film called Nishijapon. So we know each other. Even Rajat is a wonderful actor to work with.

Rajat didn't know Bengali. Did you help him out?
Though Rajat didn't know Bengali, he has done a great job. We all helped him with his language. Since he is a fast learner, he did well.

Anuraanan was initially sent to film festivals all over. Do you prefer critical acclaim or commercial success?
Well, I personally feel both are very important for a film's success. Films like Anuraanan which are really well made deserve success on both fronts. But from a different perspective, commercial success is more important as a lot of efforts are put in the film. The investors put a lot of money and a fortune is at stake. So, appreciation in any form is really vital for any movie.

Which has been your most memorable role?
Many roles are close to my heart. I love the one in Rituparno Ghosh's Dahan which won me a National Award. I also loved the title role I played in Aparna Sen's Paromitar-Ek Din. My other memorable roles are Nishijapon and the one in Alo. But my role in Main, Meri Patni Aur Woh actually got me recognition. It was not those kinds of films where the heroine has nothing to do. My performance was noticed and appreciated. I was recognized and remembered.

You have been working more in offbeat films? Why don't you do commercial more?
Back in Kolkata, I have done both offbeat and commercial cinema. So I am recognized as having both films' image there. But as far as Hindi films are concerned, people draw up an image of yours really fast. So breaking from the mould, I have a commercial look in both my upcoming Love Game and Gauri-The Unborn. So I am trying to build my image carefully in Mumbai in a subtle way.

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