In one word, Satyajit Ray saved me: Barun Chanda
The veteran Indian actor talks about working and writing about Satyajit, his forays into advertising and Bollywood, and being intrigued by the buzz surrounding ‘Hawa’
Barun Chanda, the accomplished advertisement executive, actor, and author hailing from Kolkata, recently graced Bangladesh with his presence for the shooting of the movie 'Jaleswari Ditiyo Oddhay Prachin Bongsher Nissho Shontan'.
Amidst his busy schedule, Chanda found a moment of respite and set out on a journey to Pathrail Bazar in Tangail to purchase some authentic Tangail cotton sarees for his wife back home in Kolkata.
As we drove through the breathtaking landscape, with verdant trees, bustling village markets, and meandering rivers on either side of the road, Chanda engaged in skillful exchanges about his illustrious career and his life; but none more fascinating than his experiences working with the iconic Satyajit Ray.
It was through the advertising agency D J Keymer & Co where Chanda first had the privilege of working alongside Satyajit Ray. It was through this association that Chanda eventually landed the lead role in Ray's film, Seemabaddha, in 1971.
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"I thoroughly enjoyed working with Satyajit Ray. He gave me complete artistic freedom and said, 'Barun, since I have chosen you for this role, it means you are perfect for it. So feel free to act independently, but I will definitely intervene if I see too many mistakes.' In short, I was able to work comfortably within my own creative space.", said Chanda.
The experience of working on Seemabaddha left a lasting impression on Barun Chanda - something that inspired him enough to eventually write a book on the legendary director named 'Satyajit Ray: The man who knew too much'.
"Satyajit Ray is a shining star of this subcontinent. Since I had the opportunity to work with him and also had the privilege of observing him from close quarters for a long time, it was a motivation for me to write this book."
Chanda started writing the book during the lockdown, at the beginning of the Covid pandemic.
"I found myself confined to my home for an extended period of time. Because I'm a bit of an extrovert, I can't stay indoors for long. So if I had not written the book during that time I would have lost my mind. In one word, Satyajit Ray saved me."
Barun Chanda has also acted in a Bangladeshi film before, 'Rina Brown', in 2015. However, not every aspect of the Liberation War movie impressed the seasoned actor.
"The experience of working in the movie was quite good. But when I watched the movie, I thought that the freedom fighters' hardships during the liberation war were shown a little too mildly for my taste. It's not a complaint, just my personal opinion. However, several scenes from Rina Brown were excellent, especially the nature scenes."
To date, Barun Chanda has acted in 80 films. When asked what his best work was, Chanda replied, " I acted in a Bollywood film called Lootera in 2013. I think that was my best work. I also like my work in Seemabaddha, but sometimes I feel that some of my performances in that film are still limited."
Having been in advertising for decades besides being an actor, it was inevitable that I had to ask Chanda about his thoughts regarding Bangladeshi films and advertisements.
Unfortunately, Chanda has not watched many Bangladeshi movies or advertisements. However, he expressed keen intent on getting acquainted with Bangladeshi content if the opportunity ever presented itself."I would be grateful if someone would enlighten me on Bangladeshi movies and ads. Although, I have heard about Bangladeshi cinema sometimes in Kolkata, for example, last year's movie 'Hawa' received a lot of attention. Despite recommendations from many people, I haven't had a chance to watch it yet, but I'm intrigued by the buzz surrounding it," said Barun.
Before concluding our conversation, I asked Barun about his retirement plans, if there were any. His response was a promising one for his fans.
"I will continue acting as long as I can stand on my own feet. Three things that are very important to me are acting, writing and traveling," said Barun.
Born in 1939 in Old Dhaka, Chanda's family moved to Kolkata in 1944 due to his father's professional commitments. After completing his graduation, Chanda worked as a teacher at Charuchandra College in Kolkata.
Despite his initial success in acting, Chanda took a hiatus from the silver screen for almost two decades. Then in 1992 he started acting again with Rituparno Ghosh's debut film, 'Hirer Angti'. He followed it up with another noteworthy performance in Kaalo Cheetah, and since then, he has been a regular presence in the film industry, both in Bengali and Hindi films.
Now 81 years old, Chanda's eyes may be tinged with yellow, and his body may bear the marks of time, but his spirit and enthusiasm remain undiminished. His observations and insights during the journey were a testament to his artistic sensibilities and his ability to appreciate the beauty of the world around him.
