Director Abhijit Chowdhury shares insights from his film 'Dhrubor Ashchorjyo Jibon'
The idea behind director Abhijit Chowdhury’s Dhrubor Aschorjo Jibon is centered on the choices we all face, and the consequences those choices have on our lives. Caught between the powerful and the powerless, the middle-class life often comes down to one question—should we hold on to our ideals or do whatever it takes to survive? Dhrubor Aschorjo Jibon explores this dilemma through four alternate versions of one man’s life. We speak with Abhijit, who breaks it down further for us.
What made you blend artists in a love story, which is also a crime drama?
The idea was to go beyond the typical genre boundaries and create something that feels fresh and thought-provoking. The love story provides an emotional core to the film, representing personal stakes and moral dilemmas, while the crime element adds tension and urgency to the narrative. The film is also a tribute to four legendary Bengali artists—Jamini Roy, Gaganendranath Tagore, Bikash Bhattacharjee, and Benode Behari Mukherjee, whose works defied conventional norms and explored deeper meanings.
Why did you choose these four artists to anchor your film?
Told in four chapters, each reality shapes Dhrubo’s fate differently while paying tribute to four visionary artists of Bengal— Jamini Roy, who embraced folk art over European techniques, Gaganendranath Tagore, a fearless political cartoonist, Bikash Bhattacharjee, who exposed social horrors through surrealism, and Behari Mukherjee,who lost his eyesight later in life, continued to create extraordinary works. His former student, filmmaker Satyajit Ray, documented his journey in The Inner Eye, where Behari spoke about the artist’s ability to develop an inner vision—a way of seeing beyond physical sight. This very idea, that art and life transcend their perceived boundaries, became one of the core themes explored in Dhrubor Aschorjo Jibon.
Do you think the audience has matured enough to read through the lines and be at par with your thoughts?
The mature response we received is proof that audiences are evolving and craving more nuanced storytelling. There’s a shift happening, where people are ready for films that challenge them, make them think, and leave room for interpretation. Kolkata International Film Festival (KIFF), in particular, fostered an environment of thought-provoking cinema, and it was an honour to be part of that.
This film is so different from the films that you did before. Would you consider this as your growth as a person and filmmaker?
Absolutely. Dhrubor Aschorjo Jibon challenged me to push boundaries in storytelling, structure, and visual language in ways I hadn’t explored before. I believe growth comes from stepping into the unknown, and with this film, I embraced that uncertainty. So yes, in many ways, this film marks a new chapter in my journey, pushing me to rethink not just how I tell stories, but why I tell them.
The film releases in theatres today.
