#NewsBytesExclusive: 'Fatafati' actor Abir Chatterjee talks about male body shaming
Actor Abir Chatterjee is a popular name in Bengali cinema, best known for playing Detective Byomkesh Bakshi in over half-a-dozen films. In Hindi, he's popular for essaying Captain Pradeep Bhattacharya in Avrodh 2. As he gears up for the OTT premiere of his blockbuster hit Fatafati on SonyLIV, Chatterjee talks about the film, and the impact of body shaming on men, among other things.
Tell us about 'Fatafati' and your character
Fatafati talks about body shaming and body positivity. It's a story about a woman who receives flak from society for being on the heavier side. She has her dreams and aspirations but lacks self-confidence. She dreams to be a part of the fashion industry but is rejected due to her weight. I play her husband's role, who understands her wife's struggles and supports her.
Your views on male body shaming?
It happens with men, too, but compared to women, it's far less. Men have been brought up in a very different way; there are a lot of stereotypes around their upbringing such as they have been told since childhood that they can't cry. And therefore, a man who is subjected to body shaming is affected but can't express it.
Did you face any sort of body shaming?
Thankfully, I haven't been body shamed but it's now that I realize that I have cracked jokes on my friends, and maybe that has affected them. But we're all evolving now since it's a fairly new concept. Some four-five years ago, I didn't know that calling a person "underweight" was body shaming. It'll take time for everyone to be fully aware of it.
Why don't Bengali films have mass popularity?
Bengali cinema is a content-driven industry. Thanks to the advent of OTT, even non-Bengali audience has started to watch our films. The market has opened up for us but we still have miles to go. We need to produce films that have a connection with the younger audience. We need to reach out to more audience which is possible with the help of OTT.
Any plans to return as Detective Byomkesh Bakshi anytime soon?
I've done seven Byomkesh films so far, but there are no plans for a new Byomkesh movie at the moment. I have asked my producers to allow me more time. I'll always be grateful for the love that I've received from the audience for Byomkesh. I need some more time to present something new (as Byomkesh) and better for the audience.
Your views on Sushant Singh Rajput's portrayal of Byomkesh Bakshi
I quite liked the way he (Sushant Singh Rajput) portrayed it. After watching the film (Detective Byomkesh Bakshy!), I had a great discussion with (director) Dibakar da (Dibakar Bannerjee), and I liked how he approached the story, in a completely different way. He has his own vision. Even performance-wise, Rajput portrayed it completely differently than what I had.
After 'Avrodh 2,' will you return to Hindi projects?
I would love to reach out to a wider audience through projects in different languages. I am ready for a new project in Hindi, but I wouldn't do anything for the sake of it. For Avrodh 2, I received very well-thought feedback from the audience. Although I am keen on more projects, at the moment, let's wait for the right time.
