Since his debut film Abyakto in 2018, young filmmaker Arjunn Dutta has come into notice for his make and sensitive approach to films. A well-told story of a mother and a son, Abyakto not only garnered appreciation at the various festivals it went to, it also earned actress Arpita Chatterjee several prestigious awards for her performance. Post that, we saw Arjunn has come up with a few more gripping human stories including Guldasta and Shrimati besides an anthology film called Three Course Meal.
Now his upcoming film Deep Fridge, starring Tnusree Chakraborty and Abir Chatterjee in the lead is ready for release in the first half of 2024. A relationship tale exploring the deep crevices of human relationships, Deep Fridge was showcased at IFFI Goa this year and received rave reviews from the audience and the critics alike. We speak to the emerging director about the same, and his plans for the year ahead.
Your upcoming film, Deep Fridge just premiered at IFFI Goa…
It feels incredible that I got such a huge reaction at the IFFI. It’s a very special film for me since this has come from very deep down inside and explores a very palpable yet not-much-discussed-about topic. The way people were coming over and congratulating our team, it was a very humbling reaction.
Tell us a little about Deep Fridge.
It’s a very relevant story about relationships in the current times and will resonate with all of us around. There are so many couples who are unhappy in their marriages and many of them get divorced even after spending several years together. But still, as couples or as a society, we are hesitant to talk about that. I feel that instead of being locked in unhappy marriages it’s always better to get separated. But in the process, can we forget our first love totally or is flame still flickering there somewhere. That’s the thought from where the story started brewing. When I conceived the story and wrote it, I personally was going through a very difficult phase in life. My mom had fallen sick and I lost my grandmother with whom I was extremely close. I saw a lot of couples around me, getting their separate ways and this story came out from all that and more. Like all my tales it is also a human tale but it’s my first full-fledged relationship story.
Tell us about the cast?
When I was writing the story, Abir Chatterjee and Tnusree Chakraborty were on my mind from the very first day. You have probably not seen Abir in such a complex role before and it will be one of his milestone movies in his career for sure. Also, Tnusree is a revelation in the movie. Both the actors have been so cooperative throughout the shooting despite the extremely hot weather and other constraints while filming. In fact, all the stars I have worked so far, have never for a second given me a hard time. All of them have been so supportive and had full faith in my vision as a filmmaker.
Give a glimpse of the story of Deep Fridge a little.
The film chronicles the journey of a couple, Mili and Swarnava, who have a child together, but are now divorced. I am sure that after watching the film the audience will be thinking of their ex-partners even if it’s for a minute. That’s the charm of the film.
How have you changed in all these years as a filmmaker?
I think all of us progress with each year as human beings, there is a holistic growth in all of us, which also impacts our work life. As a person, I have become more sensitive, intelligent and wise. I am a keen observer and I absorb everything around me.
What kind of films do you plan to do in the future?
I want to try my hands in comedy, since it is a difficult genre and takes more maturity to handle properly. I am also looking at doing a couple of Hindi films and have two stories with me. Let’s see what happens. Also. the OTT platforms are huge now and I have an idea for a web series too. I have never done an outdoor film, so if budget permits, in the future I would like to do a film in the hills.
What are the stories that you plan to do in Hindi?
At this moment I can’t divulge much, but I have two ideas, one is a coming of age and out of the box story which is a very emotional journey of a person told in a quirky way. And the other is a pure thriller which has unusual premises.
In Bengali, too, I am planning a different genre movie. It would be a thriller comedy which is something that has not been tried in Bengali before.