Soham Chakraborty and Sauraseni Maitra on their upcoming film 'Shastri'
Filmmaker Pathikrit Basu’s Durga Puja release Shastri is all about the eternal conflict between astronomy and astrology, It is blended with family emotions and drama and how an aspiring individual, played by Mithun Chakraborty, tired of his daily struggles, becomes a messiah with a few dramatic turn of events. Actors Soham Chakraborty and Sauraseni Maitra, who play pivotal roles in the movie, speak to us about their characters, their beliefs, and more. Excerpts:
Tell us about the characters you are playing.
Soham: I play an astrophysicist named Saikat, who is not a non-believer of astrology, but fights against people, or so-called godmen who mislead and cheat others by making the latter believe in superstitions and how one’s life would be ruined if a few things aren’t followed. Sauraseni plays my love interest, but more than a romantic couple, they are pillars to each other.
Sauraseni: I play a journalist, Anuradha, who always has Saikat’s back. When Saikat is in a dilemma, Anuradha comes to his rescue, and vice versa.
We have seen many films that discuss godmen versus law/science. How is Shastri different?
Soham: Shastri stands out because of its story. It has all the elements of a good and entertaining family movie.
Sauraseni: And most importantly, Shastri neither negates astrology nor science, it rather validates both of these completely different notions, and questions the authenticity.
Do you believe in astrology?
Sauraseni: All of us have that curiosity to find out what will happen with us, be it professionally or in our love life, but I honestly do not believe that a planet is going to decide my day, my week or my future. I believe in karma and whichever profession I am in, I will try to put in my best. It’s not like I am behaving rudely today because my horoscope says so. It means, I am a rude person in general.
Soham: I do. And the right person, be it a godman or god should have that magic to convince people like us with logic and reasoning as to why so and so things are happening, or if it will happen in our lives.
The film has a stellar star cast. Share about your experiences and some shooting insights.
Sauraseni: This film has been a huge learning experience for me. I’m spellbound by the dedication, love, perseverance, and resilience that actors like Mithun Chakraborty, Debashree Roy, Kaushik Sen, Ambarish Bhattacharya, or Soham have shown, They are icons for a reason. Talking about the insights I would say, Mithun Chakraborty has a fab sense of humour and is a master at leg-pulling. There was a Durga Puja sequence, which we shot at a that was Soham’s purono para (old neighbourhood), and the full set was so real, with balloon shooting, phuchka sellers, music and what not.
What does a Puja release mean to you?
Sauraseni: During Puja, I love watching detective thrillers or something entertaining. The kind of stressful lives that we lead, I think the four days of Puja call for some relaxation. I would love to watch something light and enjoyable. But would that mean we would skip something that forces us to think? Not at all! In today’s time, a good commercial film, which will boast elements like good music, drama, plot, storytelling, and setting while having a message to ponder, is much required.
Soham: Yes, and Shastri has all of these elements. It is a film for both the class and mass.
Upcoming projects?
Sauraseni: I have shot a Hindi project this year, but don’t know yet if it will be released on OTT or in the theatres.
Soham: I have started shooting for one, and have a few in the pipeline.
Tell us about your Puja plans.
Soham: It’s about adda and good food with friends, giving anjali after getting decked up in ethnic wear on Ashtami. We go out for a family lunch or dinner. This is basic, but for me, impromptu plans work the best.
Sauraseni: We usually have working Pujas, and get the opportunity to visit a lot of pandals as judges. I also love house parties with my friends and standing in long queues outside restaurants to have a meal.
Shastri releases in theatres on October 8.