Virtue of An Actor

Known for portraying iconic Bengali detectives on-screen, the Feluda and Kakababu of West Bengal, Sabyasachi Chakraborty, is one of the prolific names in the entertainment industry. Over the years, he has done many films and received multiple accolades for his acting, including winning the 'BFJA Best Actor' award in 2005. A recent addition to his filmography is his debut Bangladeshi movie 'Gondi', directed by Fakhrul Arefeen Khan. Previously, during an exclusive interview with Rafi Hossain, the star talked about his acting style and how his sons also pursued acting like him.

Rafi Hossain: Welcome to Uncensored with Rafi Hossain. Today, we are here with Sabyasachi Chakraborty. Thank you for giving us your time.

Sabyasachi Chakraborty: Thank you for having me.

Rafi: What do you think is the definition of a talented actor?

Sabyasachi: The definition of good acting varies from person to person and over time. Everyone has their unique upbringing and thoughts. Also, acting changes over time. There is more place for experimentation now which wasn't possible before. Personally, I think that good acting depends on how well a character is portrayed.

Rafi: Do you think there is a basic guideline that has to be followed to be a good actor?

Sabyasachi: I don't think there is such a thing. Acting, now, is logic-based. Everything is more toned down now, from the makeup to the volume. There have been many technological changes and improvements, like high resolution cameras, so even minor details can be noticed. Now, people don't like the overacting that used to be prominent before.

Rafi: What are your thoughts on stylisation?

Sabyasachi: I think that a lot of actors employ stylisation. From Charlie Chaplin and Gregory Peck to Robert Di Niro and Al Pacino, everyone has their own style. Some actors, when they realise that the audience appreciates one style, they don't want to get out of it. Other actors don't act for stardom. One has to sacrifice acting for stardom. I think that characterisation is more important than stylisation. I think like the character I'm portraying. I have so many facets and I have to forget those and completely immerse myself in the roles.

Rafi: Both of your sons are also involved in

acting, right?

Sabyasachi: Yes, they are. They had completely different interests before, but somehow, by chance, they followed acting. I never persuaded them. The main beacon towards acting for my sons was Prosenjit Chatterjee. He once called me to inform that he took my sons to star in a series even though they didn't do any acting before. I think that that is where it started. They are better actors than me because they are exposed to many more things that I have even been. They have a vast knowledge in this arena.

Rafi: Does travelling benefit you in acting?

Sabyasachi: Not at all. I have met and talked to many people while travelling, but I would fail miserably if I had to portray them because I haven't lived in their environment, had their food, talked in their dialect. Being a Bengali, I can speak easily in Bangla, but that isn't the same for, say, English. However, now, there are some Bengalis who don't have a proper grasp of their mother tongue, and that shocks me. There are even some actors who can't read Bangla properly. It is very disheartening when my co-actors are like that.

Rafi: Is there any character you want to play?

Sabyasachi: I have been in this field for many years, so I don't want to be involved in any new project. I had always dreamed of portraying Feluda, and I was able to do so. There isn't any other character I dream to portray.

Rafi: Do you have any parting message for the readers?

Sabyasachi: I have only one thing to say: we should all help each other. We have a tendency of not letting someone else succeed when we can't. We should refrain from this. Even if we can't achieve something, we should help someone else do that. This applies to every facet of our society.