Abir and Mimi on the new film 'Alaap'
On a hot summer afternoon, nothing could be more refreshing than meeting the handsome Abir Chatterjee and the stunning Mimi Chakraborty, who are playing Pablo and Aditi, respectively, in their recently released film, Alaap, directed by Premendu Bikash Chaki. We were impressed seeing the actors effortlessly switching on and off their characters while conversing with us.
Please tell us about your characters, Pablo and Aditi.
Mimi: Pablo and Aditi work in the IT Sector; they stay at the same house, but never get to meet each other.
Abir: None of them are from Kolkata. Aditi is from Jalpaiguri and Pablo is from Siuri. How they land up in one house (as flatmates) yet don’t meet is part of the story. Pablo is very attached to his parents. The rest of the things are all in place except that his mother wants to find the right girl for him. Pablo is confident about not getting married. Aditi’s life is also set. It looks like she is indisciplined, but that’s not the case. She just doesn’t manage to follow a routine and lacks time management. The characters are very relatable. You will find many people in these situations or leading a life like Pablo or Aditi, and in this journey, they discover themselves.
How would you two have reacted if you were in a situation like Pablo and Aditi?
Mimi: Aditi is a bit rigid. In real life, I am more rigid (laughs). I think, I surely would have found out details about him (Pablo). I would probably have opened his room, without letting him know, obviously, or just found out about the guy, his nature, behaviour and everything. And if I liked him, I would have asked him to meet me. Otherwise, I would have royally ignored him.
Abir: I could relate to Pablo a lot. His idea of romance is like mine. He is smart, but an introvert. I am selectively introverted. And people end up thinking that I am a snob. So, I would react the same way Pablo did.
What made you sign up for this film?
Mimi: For the millennial kids, first love started with small handwritten notes that were left on desks, inside notebooks, and in school bags. Since this story talks about old-school love, it touched our hearts. I might be from this generation, but I am old-school, especially when it comes to love. People don’t know this side of me. Even today, I would prefer going on a long drive and chatting over a cup of tea to a dinner date at some fancy restaurant. And this film has that flavour. Pablo goes back to his house every weekend. I can relate to that. Since I stayed at a hostel, I went back home every weekend. That’s what worked for me while choosing the film.
Abir: I’m tired of the darkness around us and the content. It takes me by surprise how so much dark content is being made, and people are consuming it. But do we need to ignore our softer emotions completely? I am happy to have been offered this role. This was like a breath of fresh air.
Both of you have already explored quite a few genres. What are you looking forward to next?
Mimi: Frankly speaking, actresses aren’t given a lot of options, nor do we get a variety of scripts. Favouritism and other issues also play a role. So I don’t expect anything. If something is made for me, it will find me. As an actor, I can only put my heart and soul into whatever is offered to me, but I always look forward to doing a variety of work where I can challenge myself.
Abir: This year, I played Dipak Chatterjee in Shri Swapankumarer Badami Hyenar Kobole, Swarnava in Deep Fridge, which talks about an estranged couple, and I played a cop in Bohurupi. So, I am trying my best to play a variety of characters, but if the audiences don’t like these characters, I might have to go back to playing the sleuths again. However, I would love to play characters that would excite me, make me think, and make me work hard. I am waiting for a script like that.
What kind of content do you prefer to watch?
Mimi: I love thrillers, supernatural thrillers, and non-fiction. I watch love stories too, but if the ending is sad, I feel extremely sad. I recently watched One Day. I had reached the climax while I was on a flight. I couldn’t control my tears. Eventually, I had to ask for a blanket and hide beneath it to cry my heart out. Though this genre of films or shows is one of my favourites, I only watch them when I can afford to cry, and lie in bed curled up for two - three hours.
Abir: Right now, I am in the mood to watch something light. But if I watch something dark, it is very dark, so it is better that I do not talk about that.
Mimi & Abir: But our all-time favourite show is Game of Thrones.