For moviegoers the character of Chunni Lal from Abhay Deol and Anurag Kashyap's version of Devdas, Dev D, will probably be an unforgettable character. The actor who played the role was Dibyendu Bhattacharya who is more well-known today as DCP Ghosh from the popular web series Undekhi. The snazzy Chunni Lal, with is hair slicked back, had quite the screen presence even though Abhay Deol was the star of the film. In Undekhi, the calm and unmoved Ghosh has a similar screen presence and vibe. This is what makes Dibyendu stand out in the industry.
Creating such an impressive space for his characters onscreen that the audience finds them hard to forget. Likewise in Rocket Boys, the actor's portrayal as Raza Mehdi left an indelible mark. "I never take any of my characters lightly. Whether it is a five minute or 15 minute role, every role challenges me. At the end of the day I am aware that human being I am portraying comes with so many baggages and his past," explains the actor. Even though Raza wasn't a real person unlike Vikram Sarabhai or Homi Bhabha, the actor brought his perspective to the table that made his character appear as authentic as the other two. "Raza Mehdi was a creative device in the screenplay because the screenplay was not all about history, neither was the show a piece of science. It's eventual purpose was to entertain. There are many versions of the historical events, so Raza became an amalgamation of several characters from history. I had to create him as a figment of my imagination. It was created with other characters inspired by real life so there was a certain iota of reality to him," he explains.
For an actor who started with films such as Monsoon Wedding, Hazaron Khwaishein Aisi, Black Friday and Ab Tak Chappan, and has been part of this industry for nearly two decades, Dibyendu's recognition has come quite late in his career. "Actors like me used to sit in the sidelines like cricket players who wait in the pavilion for their chance. Even if we got a role for 15 minutes we used to put our best foot forward," he says. Though Dev D and Black Friday were cult classics, it's only in the last two years with the outburst of OTT content that Dibyendu has finally earned the spotlight. "I feel I am very lucky with OTT. This year I have three releases which had never happened before. Now I get the best of both quality and quantity," he enthuses. Next, the actor will be seen in season two of Gone Games and in the Vidyut Jamwal-starrer Khuda Hafiz Chapter II.
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