Actors Saswata Chatterjee and Ananya Chatterjee talk about their thriller show, 'Kaantaye Kaantaye'

Saswata: It is always the storyline, the script.

Ananya: And here, the person who solves the crime is completely different from any other detectives, whom we see or read about in crime thrillers.

Saswata: Additionally, how Basu finds out the culprit using his logic and high observation power is what makes it different. Most detectives follow a certain method, but the case with Basu is different. He’s not a detective per se. It’s because of a few factors that he got involved with the case. Also, the script is very strong, which makes it a fantastic watch. I believe a thriller should have a repeat value, something like a Feluda or Byomkesh.

Saswata: PK Basu is a former advocate, who faced a situation when an alleged criminal committed suicide while in custody. Basu met with a car accident in which he lost his daughter, and his life has changed since then. But questions arise in Basu’s mind, whether this series of murders has any connection with that case, and he goes on to find that out.

Ananya: Besides the fact that my character Rani is also equally involved in solving the crime, there is also a personal, emotional layer that has been added to the character in the screen adaptation that might not have been there in the text. There is a crisis in the couple’s life that adds a different dimension to the story.

Ananya: Our everyday crises are probably making us lose the patience to sit through and watch a drama that demands proper attention. We would rather watch something fast-paced so that we can forget about the very next moment.

Saswata: It’s not easy, for sure. If you are not able to complete the mystery game, then the project will fall flat. What are the options apart from thrillers or dramas?

Saswata: We don’t have comedy writers here, although I have done one called, Jomaloye Jibanta Bhanu, written by Dr Krishnendu Chatterjee, which will release soon. To write a comedy piece, your emotions need to be very fresh, and you need to have an innocent mind.

Ananya: Oh yes, it is, and you will be able to find it over and across all platforms. If you go through the platforms, after almost every alternate film or series, you will come across one that is dark, gritty, and a crime thriller. It might just outwear itself quite soon.

Saswata: I don’t think that way. If they were being overused, audiences wouldn’t have showered so much love on thrillers. Each one of us has a detective inside, and if someone can ignite the spark in them, there’s nothing like it.

Ananya: The pace, suspense, the element of mystery, unpredictability, and the background score.

Saswata: A great story, a tight script, camera work, sound, and acting, and a skilled director, of course, to make everything fall in place.

I am taking on fewer projects. Kalki just released. I am working in Neeraj Pandey’s Khakee 2-The Bengal Chapter and Anurag Basu’s Metro In Dino. These are lengthy projects. Any of Anurag’s projects take at least 1.5 years to complete. We shot Jagga Jasoos for 3.5 years. For Khakee, we shot for some time in North Kolkata, and there’s a schedule in Mumbai soon.

It’s a landmark film and a film with such a stunning cast that will probably not happen again. The energy that Amitabh Bachchan possesses at this age, when he comes in front of the camera, is unbelievable. Kamal Haasan is a bit reserved and speaks very softly. When I touched his feet, he kind of mumbled. I couldn’t hear him and asked, “Pardon sir? He said, “Aise matt karo”. And Deepika was very sweet.

I probably am. It’s good to wait for good things, since they don’t come your way every day. If they come, that’s great, but they don’t.

Ananya: There are a few films and web shows in the pipeline.

Saswata: Apart from these few projects, I also have a Telugu project with Naga Chaitanya in the lead.