Artist Of Reinvention

It takes courage to remake oneself and even more to invite others to reawaken an industry. Prosenjit Chatterjee, who has blazed past every marker of superstardom in Bangla cinema, is doing just that

- Damayanti Datta

RECENT AFTERNOON. One can make out a crowd gathered outside a crumbling mansion in the heart of old Calcutta. Parked in front of 4, Beadon Street, is an ultra-luxury trailer, engine humming quietly. The word is out on the street: “He is here.” Trams jangle, two-wheelers whizz past, cars toot angrily. But oblivious to the frenetic hustle of the unruly street, the crowd hangs around, hoping to get a glimpse of, and maybe a selfie with, a man who inspires non-stop adoration in packed cinema halls: Bangla cinema’s superstar for last 35 years, Prosenjit Chatterjee.

Lights, Camera, Action. Prosenjit is filming Mayurakshi, the story of an NRI son and his ageing father, portrayed by veteran actor Soumitra Chatterjee, who are separated by continents, lifestyles and emotions. The 200-year-old home of the Dey family forms the perfect setting, with its mildew-shrouded walls and priceless masterpieces peeking through layers of dust and grime. Prosenjit sits in absolute stillness on a rickety chair, as director Atanu Ghosh shouts “Cut!” several times to instruct a newcomer. But the minute “Quiet on the set” is called for and the clapper snaps shut, he carries on without missing a beat, exactly from where he stops: no checking on video monitors, no digging into mobile phones, to capture continuity.