If
the
pride
of
Bengal,
Rituparno
Ghosh
has
not
stopped
fuming
and
laughing
(depending
on
his
mood)
since
Monday
evening-
it
is
with
reason.
Rituparno
who
was
in
Goa
for
the
40th
International
Film
Festival
Of
India
as
a
jury
member
for
survey-based
book
compiling
the
20
best
Indian
films
of
all
times,
was
shocked
when,
at
a
function
in
Goa
to
announce
the
historic
book,
he
was
led
to
a
seat
marked
Rituparna
Sengupta
alongside
Riya
Sen.
Before
Rituparno,
who
breezed
in
wearing
a
chic
black
suit,
flaming-red
scarf
and
oversized
sunglasses
at
7
pm
looking
in
his
own
words
“very
European",
could
react
to
this
gender
and
identity
confusion,
there
was
more
insult
waiting
to
be
added
to
his
injury.
Ritu"s
other
colleagues
on
the
jury
for
the
book
T
20
were
all
given
VIP
space
at
the
event,
while
Rituparno
was
expected
to
sit
with
the
starlets.
When
asked
about
the
mortifying
incident
Rituparno
laughs
and
says
he
could
now
see
the
humorous
side
of
it.
“But
it
wasn"t
funny
that
evening.
It
wasn"t
so
much
the
fact
that
I
was
mistaken
for
Rituparna
Sengupta
that
offended
me.
I"m
used
to
being
mistaken
for
her.
In
fact
producers
in
Bengal
have
called
me
up
offering
roles
meant
for
her.
And
I
certainly
didn"t
mind
sharing
a
seat
next
to
Riya
who"s
like
a
sibling.
No.
What
really
got
me
worked
up
was
the
fact
that
the
other
members
on
the
T
20
Jury,
Vishal
Bhardwaj,
Madhur
Bhandarkar
and
Rahul
Dholakia
and
some
renowned
regional
directors
(Nagesh
Kukunoor
who
was
also
on
the
jury
didn"t
turn
up)
were
all
given
a
VIP
enclave
for
themselves.
That
really
was
offensive."
Ritu
refused
to
sit
on
the
seat
marked
for
Rituparna
Sengupta
and
remained
standing
until
he
was
seated
with
his
fellow
jury-members.
Says
Ritu,
“It
was
Riya
who
helped
sort
out
the
matter.
I
insisted
that
all
the
jury
members
including
the
regional
directors
like
me,
be
seated
all
together.
That"s
what
protocol
demanded." Rituparno
insists
that
the
ghastly
confusion
of
identity
at
the
festival
had
nothing
to
do
with
the
way
he
dresses.
“It"s
a
common
thing.
I"m
being
mistaken
for
Rituparna
Sengupta
all
the
time
even
in
Kolkata.
When
I
was
directing
her
in
Dohan
people
would
wonder
which
was
the
director
and
which
the
actress.
In
fact,
recently
I
was
offered
the
role
of
a
female
cop
in
a
Bengali
film
meant
for
her."
Incidentally,
the
book
T
20
which
couldn"t
be
readied
in
time
for
the
Goa
film
festival
has
three
Bengali
films
as
the
Top
3
among
the
20
best
Indian
films
of
all
times.
Says
Ritu,
“As
a
Bengali
filmmaker
I
feel
very
proud
that
Ritwick
Ghatak"s
Meghe
Dhaka
Tara,
Satyajit
Ray"s
Charulata
and
Ray"s
Pather
Panchali
were
selected
as
the
first,
second
and
third
best
Indian
films,
not
just
by
us
jury
members,
but
also
by
popular
vote.
Bengal
has
always
been
a
rallying-point
for
cinema
of
substance.
Now
if
only
people
would
get
the
difference
between
Rituparna
Sengupta
and
Rituparno
Ghosh."