Saswata Chatterjee got goosebumps playing the legendary Uttam Kumar
Popular Bengali actor Saswata Chatterjee got goosebumps while enacting a scene in an upcoming film where he portrays matinee idol Uttam Kumar holding a trophy at a prestigious film awards ceremony. Chatterjee is playing the lead role in Achena Uttam directed by Atanu Basu. Uttam Kumar had dominated the Bengali film industry for over two decades before his untimely death in 1980.
Portraying Uttam Kumar is an extremely challenging task: Chatterjee
Kumar was the first recipient of the National Film Award for Best Actor in 1967 for his performance in Chiriakhana, directed by Satyajit Ray, and Antony Firingee. Speaking on his role, Chatterjee said, "Portraying Uttam Kumar is an extremely challenging task as no amount of preparation is enough to depict him on the big screen and none can replace him as an actor."
First leg of outdoor shoot has been completed
"I am trying to capture the right attitude, and the right mood," he said. Chatterjee, who played the character of Bob Biswas in Kahaani and Tutti Futti in Jagga Jasoos, said, he has enacted quite a few scenes of Achena Uttam and completed the first leg of outdoor shoot in Tungling (Darjeeling).
Actors at high-risk, cannot wear masks while filming: Chatterjee
"Now the indoor scenes, including the hospital scene, and recreating the Cinestar's Bhabanipur home in south Kolkata is being done," Chatterjee, having done a string of popular Bengali cinemas like Bhooter Bhabishyat, Aschorjo Prodip, and Ebar Shabor said. Asked how shootings are taking place in the pandemic situation, he said, "We are at high risk. Actors cannot wear masks while filming."
All protocols are being maintained on sets: Chatterjee
"However, we are maintaining all protocols like sanitizing the sets, wearing masks by the entire unit, and keeping the doors/windows open," he added. When the shooting began for the film in March this year after mahurat the second wave of COVID-19 had not arrived, and it went on smoothly for some time before the virus took a deadly form, the actor said.
The actor is uncertain about the film's release after completion
Asked about the closure of almost all single screens again due to the COVID-19 spike as "very sad," the 50-year-old, who has acted in over 80 films so far, said he has no idea when Achena Uttam can be released after completion of shooting. "We have to watch how the pandemic situation evolves in the next few months," Chatterjee said.
Learned many new facts about Uttam Kumar: Chatterjee
Asked about the title Achena Uttam, he said, "There are facts/incidents in the movie which are yet unknown. I prefer to leave it for the audience to view it on the silver screen." "I have learned many new facts about Uttam Kumar, whom I used to address as Buro Jethu as my father (actor Subhendu Chatterjee) and Kumar shared great personal chemistry," Chatterjee said.
The style, mannerisms of the superstar are still emulated
The style, mannerisms, smile, and looks of the superstar who was a quintessential Bengali, are still emulated by actors, Chatterjee said. About his preparations, he said, "I am again watching one of his classics Dui Prithibi which I had seen 5-6 times." "Still, it seems to be new. Every time I view it, I learn something new, and rediscover new things," the actor added.
