New Delhi, Oct. 13 -- Every Durga Puja, the battle for theatres and prime show timings remains a recurring problem for Bengali cinema. This year is no different, with four big-ticket releases, including 'Bohurupi: The Golden Daku', the sequel to the blockbuster 'Bohurupi', vying for screen space. Directed by Nandita Roy and Shiboprosad Mukhopadhyay, 'Bohurupi: The Golden Daku' introduces Jisshu Sengupta to the franchise as a cop. Has he replaced Abir Chatterjee, who played the cop in the 2024 blockbuster? Not exactly, Jisshu clarified, pointing out that Abir's character and his own have different stories to tell.
Meanwhile, the actor did not shy away from highlighting the theatre crisis in Bengal. When he transitioned from TV to films (around 1999), Bengal had nearly 700 cinema halls. Today, the number has dwindled to fewer than 200, with many in a dilapidated condition. Jisshu made his television debut in 1998 with 'Mahaprabhu'. The actor said that he had raised the issue of dwindling cinema halls recently, when the state government and Tollywood stars came together to celebrate the birth centenary of Uttam Kumar.
"There has been talk of converting small auditoriums into mini-plexes. Let's see how it turns out," he said.
Jisshu is no stranger to Nandita Roy and Shiboprosad Mukhopadhyay's production house. After 'Posto' in 2017 and 'Baba, Baby O...' in 2021, he is now part of the 'Bohurupi' sequel, which releases this Puja. However, the actor does not sign on to projects simply because Shiboprosad offers him a role. In fact, Shiboprosad, who reprised his role as dacoit Bikram Pramanik from the first film, was quick to point this out.
"He listens to every word and wants to know how his character will be woven into the script," the director said.
Initially, Jisshu was a bit hesitant about entering the 'Bohurupi' universe as a cop, given the success of the 2024 film and the appreciation Abir received for his performance. Yet, the situation reminded him of another franchise he had stepped into after Abir.
"I remember Abir did a fantastic job as Byomkesh Bakshi in Anjan Dutt's films. Later, he left the franchise and I was roped in. I knew I had to do it differently and thankfully, the audience appreciated my performance. In 'Bohurupi' too, Abir's portrayal of a cop was immensely praised. So, I wanted to bring my own version of a cop to the screen," said the actor, who continues to balance projects across Bollywood, Bengali cinema and the South Indian film industry.
Meanwhile, it has been a busy year for Jisshu. He made his debut as a Bengali film producer with 'Abhhiman', starring Saurav Das, Prosenjit Chatterjee and Subhashree Ganguly. His other projects include 'Mardaani 3', 'Bhoot Bangla', 'Haiwaan', 'Brown' and 'Clean Up Company'.
Amid rumours that he is spending more time in Bengal than before because of an alleged rift with Bollywood, the actor, known for 'The Trial', dismissed the speculation. He maintained that his professional choices and commitments mattered more than what people said about him.
"It doesn't matter what anyone says. 'Abhhiman' needed all my attention and its theatrical business is much better than that of several Bengali films that organise two or three success parties. I have big-budget Hindi and South Indian films coming up. So, let the naysayers say what they want to," he said.
Jisshu also revealed that he and Saurav Das are planning their next Bengali production, which could go on floors in 2027.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.