It is said that after the legendary actor Suchitra Sen, it has been the reign of Rituparna Sengupta in Bengali cinema. Sengupta’s success story began almost 25 years ago. She made her name with Shet Patharer Thala (1992), but it was Paromitar Ek Din (2000) that made her truly famous. In small West Bengal towns, her cut-outs were garlanded; eager crowds would line up outside its sole cinema to see her on the big screen.
Sengupta made her screen debut in the Bengali fantasy TV series Shwet Kapot (1989). Thirty-six years down the line, her career remains vibrant. Unlike her contemporaries well past their prime, she has sustained her passion for her craft. When The Morning Standard caught up with her at the I View World Film Festival which premiered in New Delhi’s Travancore Palace, there was a spotlight for three of her movies, Ajogyo (2024), Puratawn (2024), and Distances (a short film), she said, “I am interested in diverse things. I do a lot of stuff other than films. Presently, I am writing a book, am associated with many charitable foundations, and doing a lot of shows. However, films are my real driving force. I have planted myself at the core of this profession, and hence, I can’t be superficial about it.”
Diverse filmography
For Sengupta, coming to the world of films “was an accident.” With no background in films, she never thought of becoming a star. However, things changed when Shet Patharer Thala (1992), a Prabhat Roy directorial, became a major commercial success in Tollywood, the Bengali film industry. In the next few years, she gave back-to-back commercial hits like Baba Keno Chakar (1997), Dai Daitya (1999), and Sasurbari Zindabad (2000), forming a hit romantic duo with Prosenjit Chatterjee. Their duo became the most popular romantic pair after the legendary Uttam Kumar and Suchitra Sen.
However, despite achieving sky-high success in commercial Bengali cinema, Sengupta does not like to confine herself to one genre. “My plate is full of variety. I consider myself an actor first, though I am most known for my relationship-based movies. My upcoming film Madam Sengupta is a thriller. I played a fantastic role in Rajkahini (2015), which dealt with political turbulence during the time of Partition. I played the role of modern-day Charulata in Charulata 2011, a modern-day adaptation of Rabindranath Tagore’s cult novel. So as an actor, I want to explore my unknown selves through films, and hence, different characterisations give me different highs,” she says.
Her upcoming projects include Gajoner Dhulobali, a political satire, Chhuti, a film that focuses on child psychology, and many others. “From Rituparno Ghosh to David Dhawan, I have worked with many directors, as I love exploring and moving beyond my comfort zone. In the coming time, I would love to work with the likes of Imtiaz Ali, Gulzar, Meera Nair, Shonali Bose, and others,” she adds.
The last star?
The tussle between stars and actors is often celebrated in the world of cinema. As industries grow, attempts are made to make films depending on character actors instead of ‘the big names’. Breaking away from the formulaic hero-heroine films, these films provide a different storytelling experience. Bengali cinema is a good example of this as after 2010, a new era of making ‘different’ films emerged with notable character artists coming to mainstream Bengali films. This leads to the question: is the success of a film dependent on stars anymore?
A star for more than three decades, Sengupta believes that the role of one can never fade away. “Stars are stars. Stardom has its own value. Every time a film is released, the audience wants to know who is in it. A good ensemble triggers the primary interest among people. It is true that today, with access to global cinema through the internet, people are making different films without big names, and those films are achieving success too. However, that does not diminish the importance of stars. Becoming a big name in the film industry is a two-way process; the star has to put in effort, and the people have to accept him or her. Once people accept your hard work, there is no looking back,” she says.
Citing her own example of pairing up with Prosenjit Chatterjee in the blockbuster hits Bengali film Praktan (2016), Drishtikone (2018), and Ajogyo (2024) after many years, she emphasises “People loved us when we started, and that love remained intact when we came together after many years. We had a different sort of connection with the audience. You need to have a good storyline as well as a good starcast. To make a good film, both are important,” she says.
At the I View Film Festival in Delhi, she was “amazed by the craze” that Delhiites showed. “I have always felt a special connection with Delhi as my extended family stays here. I have come to Chttranjan Park many times during Dura Pujas for my shows. Delhi has always greeted me with love and warmth. And, this time, it was no exception. Besides, the food here is also great. So, I had a gala time here,” she says.