Raima Sen on playing the suspect in Phool Pishi O Edward
A murder mystery in a royal setting is intriguing enough and Raima sen promises that there is more to be revealed in Phool Pishi O Edward, where she plays Aditi, a zamindar’s wife and one of the suspects. The actress shares her experience working with directors Shiboprosad Mukherjee and Nandita Roy for the first time. Excerpts.
There is a certain intrigue about the film, from the name to the setting. What do you think about that?
It’s a murder mystery, and the detective genre really works all around the world. The concept of a murder mystery in the backdrop of a royal zamindar household is quite interesting. It exposes their moral decadence, which makes this film very different.
What drew you to the film?
Shibu (Shiboprosad Mukherjee) called me and said that he wanted me in this film because this is their 25th year. I had never worked with them and said, “It took you 25 years to think of me?”. He said that this film has a royal family set up so they need me. And I was excited. It was great working with them, and I would love to work with them again.
Tell us about your character.
I play Aditi, the mejo bou (second wife) of Maharaja Manindra Chandra Nandy. Everyone is a suspect in this house, and so is my character. Aditi is a bit different from the rest. She speaks differently from the others and keeps to herself. I have played a lot of heroines in the past but this character is really interesting, exactly like the roles I’m looking for and which will help me grow and experience new things.
How did you prepare for your character?
I sat with my director for two days, and he explained the story to me. He made me wear a sari to see how comfortable I am. Then, I actually had to do some housework. I practised grinding vegetables into a paste and cutting vegetables using a boti (cutting tool). He wanted to check if I could cook, but I am not good at all. But I’ve done this kind of workshop for The Japanese Wife and Chokher Bali before. So for me, it was just like memories and flashbacks. I was quite excited to do this. I even had to do some puja rituals.
Is there a fun memory from the set?
I’ve known some of them, but by the end, I made friends with everyone. We would shoot from 7 am in the morning to 11 pm at night, sit together in the makeup room, chat and eat together. By the time I was leaving the unit, I was missing everyone, which normally doesn’t happen. I was actually getting jealous of the people who were staying on and shooting. All of us put in effort, and we bonded really well. It’s also a bonus having such great co-actors because they uplift you.
Why do you think people should watch this film?
Well, it’s a murder mystery. there’s a great cast and there’s me after three years! It’s a special film. their 25th year, my 26th year, and we are really looking forward to the release.