Tota Roy Choudhury on reprising his role as Feluda, Tere Ishk Mein, and being an actor today
The year draws to a close, and the spotlight turns towards Tota Roychoudhury. The actor brings back Feludar Goyendagiri: Royal Bengal Rohoshyo streaming on hoichoi. We caught up with him at Jungle Safari, where he elucidates on playing Feluda, his Hindi projects, and what it takes to be an actor without regional boundaries.
Excerpts:
How was your experience working as Feluda under Kamaleswar Mukherjee’s direction?
Kamaleswar da is very calm and quiet. He gives a lot of freedom to the actor, making it a collaborative process. I really find him as somebody who is well-read and intelligent. So, it’s such a pleasure to work with him.
As an actor, do you prefer that a director let you interpret a character or give you a concrete brief?
I would expect and request for some kind of freedom, because acting to me is self-expression. There are directors who are very rigid in terms of their storytelling or depiction. If that is the kind of director I am working with, I stick to their points. But if you ask me, I would like to have that freedom. Otherwise, what happens is, it does not remain my performance, and it becomes the director’s performance.
How do you interpret Feluda and make him realistic for today’s generation?
Feluda is the quintessential Bengali superman; somebody who has a keen sense of observation, intelligence, a deep sense of knowledge, and is a master at gauging people and their intensions. But there are human flaws in him, too. In Baksho Rohosyo, he was hit on the head even before he could react. He smoked a lot, but when Ray got to know of the ill effects of tobacco, it has been clearly reduced to, two a day. He also practices yoga. These counter-balance the personality. To this generation, I would like to say that they have a lot of knowledge but not much depth. If somebody loves Feluda, I would request them to know deeply about whatever they know.
Do you think people like Feluda exist today, and are they believable characters?
Time has changed. Feluda was a product of his times. The overwhelming feeling that I have when I think about Feluda is nostalgia. We want to have those kinds of people, but we don’t. One of the good things about this generation is that they are adventurous about their career choices, which Feluda was back then. He left his well-placed job to be a detective, much like Ray, who became a filmmaker. Through Feluda, Ray tells that there’s just one life. This generation seems to be following that. On the other hand, I would tell them to read physical books or papers because printed words have a lot of responsibility and deeper research. Also, because AI is making the surreal very real, this could be a problem.
Are you excited or nervous before every Feluda release?
I use the term paralysis through analysis. The more you analyse, the more paralysed you become. Acting is about enjoying the process. I don’t listen to too many voices. I try to find out my directors' vision for casting me and fulfill my duty, keeping my individuality intact.
What do you look for before confirming a script today?
When we start, most of us are not in a position to choose. Initially, you need to reach the audience and people in the industry. Today, I try to understand what my audiences are demanding from me, and I align them with my choices. Our lives have ups and downs, and when you are in the doldrums, you may have to do work to stay relevant that you may not want to do otherwise.
A genre you want to explore
Comedy
Tell us about Tere Ishk Mein
It was one of my most fulfilling experiences as an actor. I love the sensibilities of the director, [Aanand L Rai]. I got to work with some really accomplished actors of the country - Dhanush, Prakash Raj, and Kriti Sanon. For them, I’m not known that much. But the respect and love they have given to an artist is something to learn and emulate.
Does the term regional actor stand true today?
A time would come when there won’t be regional actors but language actors. There would be a lot of inter-mingling, where talent is concerned, and that day is coming very soon.
Do you have plans to go back to South film?
I would love to. But language is a disadvantage. I don’t mind taking up the challenge, but the role should be good, and I should get enough time to prepare.
Upcoming works