Returning to Bengali cinema after 14 years with Puratawn, Sharmila discusses being drawn to complexities of the mother-daughter drama and her actor-son’s brush with regional fare
Sharmila Tagore and Saif Ali Khan
When Sharmila Tagore ended her self-imposed acting hiatus earlier this year with Gulmohar, she hoped to find more of such wonderful films going forward. Her wish has been granted. The veteran actor is returning to Bengali cinema after 14 years with Suman Ghosh’s Puratawn. What about the film made her say yes, considering she is known to be choosy? For starters, the National Award-winning director. “I loved the trailer of Suman’s next, Kabuliwala. I like his eye for detail, sensitivity and aesthetics. I think he will make Puratawn very well. We have done a look test and a few script readings,” says the actor, who will kick off the shoot in Kolkata today.
Puratawn delves into the complexities of a mother-daughter relationship, with Rituparna Sengupta playing Tagore’s daughter. The trio is completed by Indraneil Sengupta. Tagore quickly corrects us, saying that the house is as good as the fourth character in the story. “The daughter is a practical corporate executive, whereas the son-in-law is more empathetic and sensitive. I liked the slight role reversal,” she says of the Rituparna production.
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The last time she faced the camera for a Bengali film was in 2009 for Aniruddha Roy Chowdhury’s Antaheen. Considering she divides her time between Pataudi and Mumbai, has she become rusty in her mother tongue? “My grounding in Bengali has been solid. I grew up in a joint family with everyone speaking the same language. I attended a Bengali language school till the age of 13. I may need to brush up on it for Puratawn, but I read and write Bengali, and count in Bengali in my head,” she smiles.
Tagore with Rituparna Sengupta on the set
The language is secondary, it’s always the story that draws her in. From playing the warm aunt in Antaheen to becoming the spirited matriarch in Gulmohar, Tagore’s parts have been varied. “I try to do roles that are different and challenging. Many people asked me why I did Antaheen. But I liked my character, and the film had an interesting concept of people developing [meaningful] relationships on the internet.”
Beginning her journey with Satyajit Ray’s Apur Sansar (1959), she built a rich filmography in Bengali cinema over the decades. As she returns to her roots, it’s worth wondering whether her actor-son Saif Ali Khan would ever dabble in Bengali cinema. “I would like him to do a Bengali film, but it all depends on his mood and inclination. He is doing a Telugu film, so I am sure he can do a Bengali one too. [The late] Rituparno Ghosh wanted Saif to play Chaitanyo Mahaprabhu a long time ago, but it didn’t materialise.”
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