Script is the real hero of any film: Saswata Chatterjee

Kolkata: 'Kahaani' actor Saswata Chatterjee, who will step into the shoes of a writer suffering from identity crisis in upcoming Bengali flick 'Dwikhandito', says for him script is the hero of any film.

"In a film, the script becomes the real hero. If the script cannnot narrate a story in a film, it will fall flat.

No amount of acting, camera and other technical flourish can pull it up", said Chatterjee, who has essayed several critically acclaimed roles in Bengali films like 'Ebar Shabor', 'Laptop', 'Goynar Baksho', 'Rajkahini', 'Bhooter Bhobisyot' and 'Proloy'.

"I always take up a film if that has something unique to offer, something different to offer," he told PTI Friday.

The 48-year old actor, whose 'Dwikhandito' and 'Tarikh' are awaiting release, said, "In my acting career I consider myself lucky to have been offered so many varied roles which had layers." 

Chatterjee, who had turned up in a comic character in 'Hoichoi Unlimited', regretted that true comic roles are becoming fewer in Bengali film industry.

"We don't have true comic characters and true comedies in Bengali film industry any more, like the ones in past. We have forgotten to laugh at ourselves. True comedy is not mimicry," he said.

About 'Dwikhandito, he said, "My role in the film is one of the most complex ones. I have portrayed multiple



characters in the film - sometimes the character of father and at other times his daughter. There are also some other characters which I portrayed by changing my voice and body language." 

The film revolves around the life of a writer Kaushik Roy who suffers from dissociative identity crisis and begins to enact in his real life the characters created by him in his writings and is eventually admitted to a hospital.

Chatterjee plays the role of the writer, while that of the writer's wife is essayed by Anjana Basu in 'Dwikhandito' which will be released on March 29.

He said debutant director Nabarun Sen, an NRI in Singapore, has brought up an interesting issue. "We will be able to identify people with such traits, around us." 

The film's story has been written by Sen and it has no relation with Taslima Nasrin's controversial novel 'Dwikhandito'.

To a question if the financial viability of cinema will be at stake if people stop going to theatres, Chatterjee said, "Cinema will survive as people will continue to watch it on mobiles and laptops. But these are not the ideal mediums." 

"For really enjoying a film, to see the full effect of watching a film the audiences should go to theatres. Laptop or mobiles cannot replace the experience of watching a film in theatres," he said.