"Mithun is the Rajinikant of Bengal": Rituparna Sengupta

She is the leading lady of Tollywood and now has her eyes on making it big in Bollywood. National Award-winning Bengali actress Rituparna Sengupta has already debuted in the Hindi film industry through Main Meri Patni Aur Woh. The light-eyed beauty talks about her current projects and her aspirations.

What are your current projects?
A: I'm shooting for the last schedule of the film Sirf. I have also done a guest performance set to Beedi Jalaile for a dance show on the lines of Nach Baliye for ETV Bangla. I have also been chosen as the brand ambassador for this show titled Ritur Mailaa Jhoom Taraa Taraa. It is the first of its kind on a Bengali channel and celebrities like Javed Jaffrey, Mithun Chakraborty and Jayaprada would also be performing on the show.

So finally you are getting to dance to your heart's content.
I am known for my dance in Bengal . I'm looking forward to do item numbers in Hindi films now. Hopefully, someone would approach me for the same after seeing my performance on the show (laughs). Many directors in Bengal want to make a film on the life of a dancer and have contacted me for the lead role, but I am all tied up with work in Bollywood.

Any actor in Bengal who you like for his or her dancing skills?
In Bengali cinema, Jeet and Prosenjit are good dancers, but no one is better than Mithun Chakraborty. He is the Rajinikant of Bengali cinema; his unique style mesmerizes everyone.

Has any song been picturised on you in Sirf?
Yes there is one, featuring me and Parveen Dabbas. But there is hardly any dance in the song.

Tell us about the film.
This film is purely based on human relationships and everyone would be able to connect with it. The story is about people from different backgrounds, different classes, from small towns coming to live in Mumbai. I play the wife of Parveen Dabbas who has come from Jabalpur. Parveen is an executive in an advertising firm and wishes his wife to be a modern girl. She tries to change her lifestyle accordingly but is not happy. She feels that her husband pays more attention to his colleague, played by Manisha Koirala.

Do you wish to do comedy films?
Yes, I want to do comedies in Bollywood. I already have two comedy flicks in the Bengali language in the pipeline.

It is heard that your forthcoming venture Saab Chai Pani is inspired by Govind Nehlani's Ardh Satya.
Not too much, but yes the storyline is the same. Sonu Sood is playing a police officer and I am playing his wife. This film revolves around the constant terror that a police officer's wife faces.

What are your current Hindi film projects?
I have recently finished shooting for Gauri - The Unborn, to be released by September. Atul Kullarni is also part of this film. Then there is Anjan Dutta's BBD (Binoy Badal Dinesh), alongside Kay Kay Menon, Jimmy Shergill and Sonali Kulkarni. Apart from these two films, I have Kalpana Lazmi's woman-oriented Mujhe Rang De with Isha Koppikar. Then there is Srinivas's Love Game in which I'm paired opposite Randeep Hooda. Now, I am shooting for Love Game.

What about Bengali cinema?
Anuraran and Chander Badi are the main ones that I'm doing in Bengal. Anuraran is the first Bengali film to be shot in London. Rahul Bose and Raima Sen are costars. Chander Badi, directed by Tarun Majumdar, is with singer Babul Supriyo.

Are you happy with the opportunities at your doorstep?
I'm very happy. I feel that the audiences look for quality films now, rather than being particular about the language.