New Delhi, March 19 -- From not getting adequate theatrical shows for her films to being sidelined by big production houses for years, actress Rituparna Sengupta has long navigated the internal politics of the industry. Yet the National Award-winning actress stands apart for her continuous hard work and focus. Even during phases when she lacked the backing of major banners, she continued collaborating with small producers, new actors and directors. She admits she is emotional and has faced betrayal, but her dedication to work has never changed.
"I have been navigating the politics of the industry for a very long time now. I stay calm and positive and try to do my work silently... Silence is golden. I do my stuff with honesty and effort. I have to be strong. I know I am emotional... After losing both parents, my internal struggles are too deep and I don't have anybody backing me here... I do find ways to make things happen, stay focused and work hard to achieve the goals. It's a difficult task," said the 'Korpur' actress.
'Korpur', directed by Arindam Sil, is a political thriller revolving around an educational scam and a mysterious disappearance that occurred nearly three decades ago in Kolkata. Based on Dipanwita Roy's novel 'Antardhaner Nepothhey', the film follows the disappearance of Moushumi (played by Rituparna) amid a Rs 50 crore scam at a university. This corruption has links with high-profile individuals. The film also features a strong ensemble cast, including Bratya Basu and Saheb Chatterjee, among others.
Interestingly, political figures like Bratya Basu, also the state education minister and TMC leader Kunal Ghosh, play key roles in the film. Asked whether political discussions took place on set, given the presence of such personalities, Rituparna said, "Many political personalities were there, but I believe everyone was in their character performing to their best. Kunal da is quite a revelation. He was at ease with the role. Ananya Banerjee (also a TMC councillor) also performed well. Bratya da is always brilliant in all his roles. I didn't have many scenes with them, so I didn't know how many political discussions took place," she said.
The worlds of entertainment and politics have long been intertwined. With the West Bengal Assembly elections approaching and both TMC and BJP fielding celebrity candidates, the overlap is once again in focus. However, the 'Dahan' actress has no inclination toward joining politics. "I don't have much knowledge in this field, so I refrain from politics. I do have my opinions, but I am not very knowledgeable in this field," she said with a smile.
Though Moushumi's character is rooted in real-life events, Rituparna relied primarily on the director's vision to shape her performance. "The character was extremely well written. I had seen the character with a lot of interest. the decaying part of it. the rising of it. All the aspects of the character created deep impressions on me. Also, I followed Arindam's direction to bring the character to life," said Rituparna, who recently received the Woman Empowerment Award for Art and Culture at the House of Commons of the UK on the occasion of International Women's Day.
Meanwhile, the actress, who continues to balance work in both Hindi and Bengali cinema, expressed pride in her 'Praktan' co-star Prosenjit Chatterjee being honoured with the Padma Shri. "It's a matter of great pride for all of us. It's very well deserved," she said. When asked about a possible reunion soon, she added, "Our film would happen perhaps in due course of time for sure." Both Rituparna and Prosenjit marked their 50th film together with 'Ajogyo' in 2024.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.