Actor Anirban Chakrabarti on reprising the role of Jatayu and more
Anirban Chakrabarti has had a very fruitful 2025. From bringing back the Eken Franchise through The Eken: Benaras e Bibhishikha, to Shotyi Bole Shotyi Kichu Nei, from Mrigaya: the Hunt to the Puja hit Sharthopor, his choice of roles and performances have left a profound impact on the audience. He concludes the year with Jatayu or Lalmohan Babu in Feludar Goyendagiri: Royal Bengal Rohoshyo directed for the first time by Kamaleswar Mukherjee. We catch up with him as he discusses working in the franchise, his choice of roles, theatre and more.
Excerpts:
Did Kamaleswar Mukherjee have a different approach while directing the series?
When I met Kamal da for the first time, he told us that he had watched us under Srijit’s direction, and he wanted us to be the same. He mentioned that he will drive the narrative according to his approach, but the character interpretation must remain the same for all three of us – Feluda, Topshe and Jatayu. Also, Kamal da used a very classical approach for his direction. He is a very quiet person, speaks less, and so the floor was also very quiet and silent during the shoot.
Santosh Dutta completes his centenary this year…
His portrayal of Jatayu has acquired cult status. I also understand him when it comes to Jatayu. I have seen his works, but have tried not to copy him exactly. When I first stepped into the character, Srijit had asked us to interpret the characters through our lens.
Is there any scope of creative inputs to the Feluda stories?
Trying to modify the story in any way might not be feasible, and the audience might not take it well. But how each director and actors narrate the situations through their nuances is the novelty.
Tell us about the shooting experience
The timeline of Ray’s story was the Monsoons, for this script, it was winter, and we shot it in Summer. We wore woollens, jackets, sweaters, caps, and shot in an open jeep, while the other crew members were wearing light breathable clothes.
Tell us about Projapoti 2.
I play an extended cameo as a chef in London called Shakibul Hasan.
Any new theatre productions…
I am currently playing a part in Caretaker.
What kind of roles are you looking forward to?
A character that has multiple layers. I do get some offers for Hindi projects, but I will not do a project just because it’s Hindi. The character should have substance and be meaty enough.
Upcoming works