Delving deep into a legend’s mind

'Art for the sake of art', is a notion that writer, television producer, and lyricist Sajjad Hussain dislikes, taking a strong stance against it in an interview over the phone. The eccentric artiste, who wrote an entire album for the indomitable LRB, is now bent on taking a deep dive into the minds of legendary minds to understand the metaphorical poetry that goes within them. 

"Only by observing a great mind, can we decipher what separates them from the mediocre and pretentious," says the writer.

Sajjad, who has written highly acclaimed books including "Anjanjatra", "Babita" and "Mohiner Ghoragulir Gaan", recently released "Soumitrakkhor, featuring excerpts from a three-hour interview with Soumitra Chatterjee. The book has been published by Chhapakhanar Bhoot.

The multiple-time National Award winning actor, director, playwright and poet, responsible for revolutionising Bangla cinema, had welcomed Sajjad into his home for the interview.

The cover for ‘Soumitrakkhor’

"To help you really understand the humility of Soumitra Chatterjee, I'll start with an anecdote from my stay. I came across a 60 year old gentleman from a rural area, where the actor had shot for 'Ghore Baire'. He had asked for a write-up for his local newspaper, to which the great actor had happily agreed to. Apparently, he had also written for them before, and that only goes on to show his humility."

The writer, in the book, has written about aspects of Soumitra from an artistic viewpoint, which surfaced during their warm conversation. "At that point in his life, I felt like the great man could see everything from a third-person view, he had a deep-rooted understanding of life where he could probably see himself from an elevated perspective."

As the conversation went on, Soumitra had told Sajjad that even though he does not know if an afterlife or reincarnation exists, but if it did, he would like to walk there holding hands with his now comatose grandson, Ranadeep Basu.

"For a grandfather to address such a huge trauma, a frankly unfair sleight of fate, takes a man of that stature," said Sajjad. "There is a reason why Soumitra Chatterjee was mourned the way he was when he passed away. He was simply incomparable, his 'actor' self could never completely overhaul his 'artiste' self, not to mention his inherent 'poet'."

Sajjad Hussain

As the author was leaving Soumitra's residence, he suddenly asked about eminent Bangladeshi poet, Al Mahmud. "He held my hand and asked my how Al Mahmud was, and I told him that he was not doing too well, he does not even recognise people nowadays."

The actor told Sajjad that even if Al Mahmud does not remember him, he would like to kindly send him his regards and say that he is a huge fan.

"He could have asked about anyone, but he remembered a poet, why do you think that is?" For a man whose entire life was a poetry in motion, the answer was not that hard to find.