Director Raajhorshee De opens up about Mayaa

From paranormal thriller to family drama and now a literary adaptation, director Raajhorshee De is a man whose versatility lies in experimenting with an ensemble cast. As his latest directorial Mayaa hits the theatres today, Indulge catches up with him regarding the movie, his work process, powerful portrayal of women on–screen, and his plans ahead.

What inspired you to adapt Macbeth on-screen?

 Macbeth has previously inspired works like Maqbool (2004), Veeram (2016), Joji (2021), and Mandar (2021) which is a Bangla web series but had never been adapted for a Bengali film. As a filmmaker, I accepted the challenge of adapting Shakespeare. We have seen actors like Irrfan, Tabu, and Pankaj Kapur coming together to do a fabulous job in Vishal Bharadwaj’s Maqbool. The fantastic actors we have in Bengali cinema called for a brilliant ensemble here too. Also, Mayaa is from a woman’s perspective and talks about woman empowerment.

How is your adaptation different from other adaptations?

I have taken the license of a little departure from the original play. I also felt that the character Mayaa played by [Rafiath Rashid] Mithila is an alter ego to every woman.  She is that witch who lives in the subconscious of every woman and brings out the layers and revolt that a woman otherwise cannot pursue. Mayaa is a revolution, an alter-ego, and sub-consciousness.

You have worked with an ensemble cast in your movies. Is it easy or challenging?

I feel it’s extremely easy to work with an ensemble cast because it has become a habit of mine. Also, everybody has become friends. I get the opportunity to work with a lot of actors and vice–versa.

Will we see you looking beyond an ensemble cast in future projects?

No.  There will be an ensemble cast in my future projects too.

Your movies have strong female characters. Is that a conscious portrayal?

My female characters are consciously portrayed as powerful and full of layers. I make movies on women's empowerment. That’s why male lead-oriented movies are very less in my portfolio.

 Would you call yourself a feminist director?

 No, the take is not feminist but it’s definitely women empowerment that I generally talk about.

You have ventured into different genres. Which has been the toughest to date?

I feel the toughest to direct is a family drama. It’s because it’s tough to get inside an audience’s heart and bring out the required emotion to make them cry.

A genre that is on your wish list

I have not directed a comedy yet, so I want to direct one.

A glimpse of your future project/s

I am planning a trilogy on Shakespeare and my next project is Hamlet. It’s based on a play called Hemlat, the Prince of Garanhata written by Bratya Basu.

Mayaa hits theatres near you from today, July 7, 2023