After a spell of many years, the Bengali film industry will be getting a fresh romantic pair this Valentine’s Day. Rahool Mukherjee’s film Mon Maaney Na, releases a day ahead of Valentine’s Day this year, sees debutante Hiya Chatterjee opposite Ritwik Bhowmik, an emerging name in Bollywood who has won hearts with his performances in Bandish Bandits and Khakee: The Bengal Chapter. This is also Ritwik’s first theatrical release in Bengali. Indulge chats with the chirpy couple about all things love ahead of their film’s release.
Hiya and Ritwik, this is your first proper debut in a Bengali feature film. How does it feel?
Hiya: I am more scared, and that feeling is taking up a lot of my time. But spending time with Ritwik and Rahool also clears my head and keeps the excitement in me alive. I want to keep holding on to the excitement.
Ritwik: Yes, my debut Bengali film was called Dhuusar (2019), but it went mostly to the festivals. This is my proper debut. I am excited because it was not only my dream, but also my parents’ dream, that I act in Bengali films. It feels like I am finally making their dream come true.
What attracted you to the film?
Hiya: I have always been a romantic person and I love romantic stories. But the most interesting thing in this film is the beautiful amalgamation of Gen Z and the ’90s, defined by the larger-than-life romance that I have seen growing up. I am from the social media generation, where love letters don’t exist, nor do we wait for our beloved because we all know who is doing what at that exact moment. So, the larger-than-life feel drew me in. And, of course, director Rahool Mukherjee was a selling point, too.
Hiya, take us through the character you play.
Hiya: My character, Bidisha, is a lot like me. She’s Gen Z, she’s figuring out her way through life, she’s trying to understand a lot of things. There’s a lot of confusion and she is also craving clarity. She is a very interesting character and I think every Gen Z will be able to relate to her.
Do you like the idea of love letters? Have you ever written one?
Hiya: I love the idea of writing a letter to someone and sending it through the post and the wait that comes after. I have never done that. I have given a letter by hand and I love writing letters for someone on a special occasion. Ritwik: I have done it. I mean, I haven’t written a love letter, but we used to send letters to our grandparents.
Do you feel the definition of love has changed over the years?
Ritwik: While shooting, we would chat about our scenes as well as our lives and I have realised that the definition of love is the same no matter what your age is. Our wants, needs, feelings, nervousness, and the butterflies in our stomach are universal. Just the communication paths have become a lot easier for this generation. Technology might’ve changed a lot of things, but the feeling is the same. The story of Mon Maaney Na also makes us realise that the feeling of love is universal, no matter which generation you’re from. We have just tried to tell the story differently because it’s about how we can or cannot express our love in the circumstances, convenience, and communication of today’s world.
Do you think technology and our own ambitions have led love to take a backseat in our lives?
Hiya: I don’t know if it’s short-lived or not, but with the advent of social media, we make a list of things to do or to achieve before we fall in love. But personally, I think when the right person walks in, no matter how much you tell yourself that you won’t fall in love, you need to focus on your career, etc., you will not be able to stop yourself. We try to restrain ourselves. Our generation is very career-oriented; we want to become independent. But when that someone walks into your life, you simply give in.
Ritwik: Love is a practical emotion. The thoughts, expressions or feelings that come with it might be complex because it’s in our nature to want to be comfortable. Whenever we steer either right or left from our comfortable positions, we start thinking it’s very complicated. Life doesn’t come without problems. But if you can put in effort and solve the problem, you feel like you’ve achieved something. And love tests you in that way. It pushes you and tests you to see if you are the person who belongs to love, who deserves love. And I am not only talking about romantic love, platonic as well. Love really pushes you out of your comfort zone. Every generation has its set of problems and complications, be it communication, culture, family, or even scarcity. But now we can just swipe right with our fingertips.
Have the dating apps made it easier to find love?
Hiya: I am a little old school. I have never used these apps myself but I have heard from my friends. After some time, when you haven’t formed a connection in your social circles, the stagnancy affects you. That’s when I think swiping on dating apps helps you get to know more people and break the monotony.
Ritwik: I am very much in love right now. And touch wood, it has been going on for a couple of years and hopefully this will be a forever affair. She is from the industry and we are steadily in love.
Is it difficult or easy to be in a relationship if both are from the film industry?
Ritwik: I started working in the industry (Bollywood) when I was 21 as an AD, I have worked as an assistant choreographer, and as an actor when I turned 23-24. Bandish Bandits happened when I was 26. Since we’re so busy with work 24/7, most of our romantic experiences would be with people from the industry. Some experiences were good, some were bad. I have realised that it has nothing to do with the industry; it has to do with the person. Even if she was doing something else in life, I could’ve had a problem. It is always the person and not the industry.
Did the past relationship make you more mature?
Ritwik: Past relationships can definitely teach you a lot of things, but you also have to be open enough to learn. The first thing you carry from your past relationship is fear. This happens to everyone regardless of gender. Boys keep their emotions bottled up inside. Fear is what makes people commitment-phobic. But once you overcome that fear and can separate your past relationship from your present, you will be more accepting to learn and maybe make new mistakes as well. I have had such phases where I have had rebounds after rebounds and also when I didn’t date anybody for five to five-and-a-half years. Now the phase is where I am content with everything in my life and hopefully, I will be able to take it forward.
Hiya, what about you?
Hiya: I am not in a relationship right now. I am very much focused on building my career.
What’s that one thing you look for in a partner?
Hiya: A partner should be your safe space. I don’t need advice all the time; I just want him to listen and try to understand me a little. I think that is love for me. After a long day if I just need to unwind by speaking my mind and he should be there to listen and not share my secrets with anyone else and use it against me.
Ritwik: For me, a partner is like a home, where I should feel like returning to. I grew up in a middle-class family where we changed cities quite often. None of the houses I grew up in were permanent. So the feeling of being at home came from sleeping beside mum or having a meal with dad. That was home for me. I have found that same feeling in my partner. She has become my home; that is when I realised this is love.
Is infidelity a dealbreaker for you?
Hiya: I think no relationship can exist without loyalty and respect. Respect and loyalty are correlated. I think it’s a deal breaker for me. Nothing is accidental; no matter how much you blame it on intoxication or whatever, you have agreed to participate in that moment. So, it’s a choice.
Ritwik: Everything is about a choice. If you’ve decided between the two of you that we’re okay with this kind of a relationship, then great.
How do you deal with heartbreaks?
Hiya: My other loved ones take centre stage at that point and I love listening to music. I spend time with my parents and go out with my girls. After talking about the same thing over and over again, it eventually fades out.
Ritwik: I used to marinate in my sadness. I have realised that the first thing you don’t want to do after a heartbreak is spend time alone. I have this thing where if I am fearful of something, I have to overcome it. That is my only way to deal with heartbreaks.
Who are your first filmy crushes?
Ritwik: Preity Zinta from Kal Ho Naa Ho.
Hiya: Ranbir Kapoor. I love Alia Bhatt but at the same time, I am so jealous of her.
What will you be doing this Valentine’s day?
Ritwik: My partner will fly in Kolkata ahead of our film’s release, which is on 13th. We will visit halls and then eat out. Kolkata is a very special place for both of us because this is where we confessed our love for each other.
Hiya: Dinner with parents if my father is free.
What are your other upcoming projects?
Hiya: Right now, nothing after Mon Maaney Na. I am giving my all to this one.
Ritwik: Two Hindi films are coming out this year and I’m hoping to hear more scripts in Bengali post Mon Maaney Na.