Actor-filmmaker Joydeep Mukherjee on his first release of the year, ‘Oporichito’
Actor-director Joydeep Mukheree is back with his new psychological thriller Oporichito, starring Ritwick Chakraborty, Anirban Chakrabarti, and Ishaa Saha. The story revolves around truth, lies, the known, and the unknown. We speak with Mukherjee to know more about the same.
Tell us about Oporichito.
Oporichito is different from most thrillers that we read or watch. This film neither has any police officer or a detective solving the case, nor has it any specific crime like murder. The film revolves around a man who meets with an accident, suffers a head injury and loses his memory. He feels he knows people who are actually oporichito (unknown) to him, while those who know him find him to be a completely new person. The story revolves around three people primarily—the victim (Ritwick Chakraborty), his wife (Ishaa Saha) and a police officer (Anirban Chakrabarti). Who is telling the truth? Is anyone being framed? These questions will keep hovering in your head, until a point when the audiences will get the answers.
Why do you always direct thrillers? Is it because you love to watch thrillers?
Not really, I enjoy watching all kinds of genres. But feel that as a director, can handle thrillers pretty well. Since started making rahasya galpo for a television show, the love for making thrillers has always been there. Though it’s not just thrillers that I make, I have a few comedy films, too, in my kitty, but yes, thrillers have always been my strongest point. Even Eken Babu is not an out-and-out thriller, it is more like a thriller comedy. Also, I have noticed, the audience love to watch a few genres, among which thriller is a strong contender.
Currently, you are also shooting for another thriller, Bibi Bakshi. Tell us about that.
This is not a thriller, really. Although it is called Bibi Bakshi, it has no connection with Byomkesh Bakshi. It’s about a mediocre girl (played by Ishaa Saha) who is trying to establish herself. There’s just 25 per cent thrill in the film, and the rest is her life story.
What else is in your kitty?
Oporichito has just been released. The new season of Eken Babu, Puro Puri Eken is releasing next week. I will start filming for Advocate Achinta Aich Season 2 next month. I am also supposed to start shooting an adventure film, based on Caesar Bagchi’s Agun Paharer Puthi, in May. The film will be shot in Ladakh and Kolkata. In September too I might start working on a new project, which will be a very different one.
Acting or directing—which is closer to your heart?
I would say directing, but I love to explore the actor in me. But not in films or shows that I direct, since that way, I become very conscious about checking if the other actors are performing well.
Oporichito is running in theatres.