Srijit Mukherji’s big Puja release, Tekka, is the story of Iqlakh, a janitor, who loses his job and is out to get it back by holding a little girl hostage in a building. ACP Maya comes in as a specialised negotiator, and Ira, is the desperate mother of the child who has been kidnapped. Add a young journalist pair, Brishti and Tintin, to the situation and we have a nail-biting epic in an office building spanning 48 hours. In a freewheeling chat with Dev, who plays Iqlakh, and Rukmini Maitra, who plays Maya, we find out the details of the film. Excerpts:
What makes Tekka a relevant Puja release?
Rukmini: The film, despite the plot, carries the spirit of the festivities. Tekka is talking about chasing the greater evil, which is, the system, and each of the characters somehow questions the evil.
Dev: We always say that Puja is the homecoming of a mother. Our film is about the battle of a mother, Ira (played by Swastika Mukherjee). The essence of this character, a destroyer of evil, forms the crux of Tekka.
What does the word tekka signify in the film?
Rukmini: The film is presented as a cat and mouse chase. And because it is a thriller, it’s all about mind games. So, it is all about, ‘ke kake tekka dichhe’ (who out smarts whom). Whether Iqlakh is outsmarting Ira, or Ira outsmarting Maya, or Maya outsmarting Iqlakh, or all of them are outsmarting the audience, one wouldn’t figure it out till the very end. Tekka is like a pack of cards. The moment you think that the game is yours, instantly the set of cards are reshuffled and a new pack is placed before you. All the characters are gambling from the beginning. Whenever you think some one has the ace of cards, another one comes in with a different card.
What does a Puja release mean to you?
Dev: Durga Puja is one of the biggest festivals for Bengalis. This makes a film releasing during the festival all the more special to us.
Rukmini: Every time we have a Puja release, it is special because it is a time of celeb rations and possesses the feeling of coming together. One of the biggest powers of the 70mm big screen is that it brings people from all walks of life together, exuding a sense of unity.
What do you think will make this a fantastic watch?
Dev: This is a high-paced drama, and the most important factor of a thriller is that the pace should fall down. When Srijit narrated the story to us, we listened to it with bated breaths, sitting at the edge of our seats. The moment you think you will crack this plot, something new happens.
From our very childhood, we are taught that we are equal. But as you grow up, you understand that we are divided by many factors. Iqlakh is fed up with these false promises, and ultimately he revolts, he just wants an answer, and a job to run his family. It’s also important to see how people misinterpret the whole situation, involving religion and other issues. While watching, you will feel that something similar just happened a month ago. We shot for the film in January this year, and Srijit has very intelligently designed the film. When the film reaches climax, you will understand that at least someone is doing something different. Tekka is something unique yet common.
The events of the film unfold over a span of 48 hours. How do you maintain the pace during the shoot schedule?
Rukmini: It’s always easier to work on a project with a longer runtime. Here you can change the characters a bit, alter moods, and probably worry less about the smallest of changes. For a span that Tekka has, I may have shot an exit scene on one day, and the entry on the next. These are tricks of the trade, but you definitely need a detailed mental mapping too.
What are your upcoming projects.
Dev: Khadaan is coming up next. I also have Raghu Dakat in the pipeline, and I will start shooting for Avijit Sen’s Pratikkha in November, which also stars Mithun Chakraborty.
Rukmini: Ram Kamal Mukherjee’s Binodini will be my next release. Draupadi is still in its writing stage, and the casting will probably begin early next year.
Tekka is running in the theatres.