If grace had a face, it would be Churni Ganguly’s. An accomplished actor, Churni is one of the rare filmmakers to have won the National Film Award for both the films she has directed so far — Nirbashito and Tarikh. In the Bengali film Aajo Ardhangini, a sequel to the 2023 blockbuster Ardhangini, she reprises her role as Shubhra, the wronged ex-wife. Directed by Kaushik Ganguly, the film is running full houses in theatres across the state, reminding Tollywood once again that a woman-led film can be a box-office success too. The actor speaks with us about preparing for the character and why it’s time we looked at relationships through a new prism.
In Aajo Ardhangini , your character Shubhra once again meets Meghna (played by Jaya Ahsan) at a family wedding. How does the change in setting— from a hospital in the original filmto a celebration — alter the emotional friction between them?
Shubhra returns to her former in-laws’ house for a wedding because she can’t say no to her former brother-in-law, who invites her to his wedding. It’s a joyous occasion, but do you think going back to that house would be reason enough for Shubhra and Meghna to come together again? There are other reasons that bring them both together and make them spend a lot of time with each other once more. There’s something more lurking beneath the surface, and the equations among all the characters have changed significantly because they have spent a few years living their lives apart. A few years have passed since Ardhangini. They have all adapted to their new lives, and that has changed their perspectives.
You play the ex-wife, while Meghna, played by Jaya, is the present wife of Kaushik Sen’s character, Suman. How has Shubhra evolved?
In the first film, Shubhra tells Meghna that Suman shouldn’t know she had helped her because it would ruin their marriage for good. She is helping Meghna, but there is also an underlying tussle despite her kindness. In this film, Shubhra is at a stage in life where she is dealing with her own bodily changes, while Meghna is still youthful. Yet, there is a sense of sisterhood between them. In the first film, we saw Shubhra in drab, geometric silhouettes. Here, she is much more relaxed. She takes care of herself, dresses well and feels complete in her own life, although Meghna’s re-emergence unsettles her. Time has healed old wounds, but that doesn’t mean she no longer harbours resentment or feels entirely comfortable revisiting her former in-laws’ home for a wedding. She has built a world of her own, and she is at peace within it.
Do you believe an ex-wife can be friends with her former husband and his wife?
I believe there can be mutual respect if there is no history of abuse. We are all products of our pasts, and even an abusive relationship shapes us. Even when two people realise their outlooks on life no longer match and choose to live separately, mutual admiration and respect can still exist because they once shared beautiful moments. In some cases, they can even become family friends, as long as the past no longer haunts those involved.
When are we going to see you wearing the director’s hat again?
When the volume of work in Tollywood increases, I’m sure there will be more scope for me to direct another film. If I were a producer, I too would choose established filmmakers who are more likely to deliver strong commercial returns. I have worked as an actor for years, but as a director, I am still relatively new since I have made only two films so far. I am also getting to an age where I cannot go around asking for funding for my films.
Does that frustrate you professionally?
Not really. I am very accepting of whatever has happened in my career or personal life so far. My grandfather once advised me to accept the inevitable with grace. There is no use fighting it or trying to manipulate it.