'He always does his homework'

Soumitra Chatterjee shared a great chemistry with filmmaker Satyajit Ray. And it was a delight to watch the duo at work, remembers film director Sandip Ray

I am delighted that Soumitra Babu has bagged this award at such an active moment in his life. But he should have got the award long ago. He has had such a colourful career enriched by so many different kinds of roles, and the best part is that he is still so active, doing everything from theatre to writing and reciting. He is just so visible.

His career, which started with Apur Sansar in 1959, is a very interesting graph, to say the least. After a certain point in time, most people are left with indifferent roles. But that obviously didn’t happen with him; he continued to bag important roles that were central to the film, and that speaks volumes about him, his ability.

With my father Satyajit Ray he shared an amazing chemistry, which became a talking point. Tapen (who played Goopy in Goopy Gyne Bagha Byne) once told Soumitra Babu, in jest, that you can’t be bagging all the roles; you are seen in a tweed jacket as Feluda; then in Hirak Rajar Deshe you are seen as a village schoolmaster in a dhoti; why don’t you leave some roles for us?

On the sets, the mental connect that Baba (Satyajit Ray) and he shared was most visible. Most of the time, he didn’t have to spell out what he wanted from Soumitra Babu in a scene — a simple nod and a side glance would do. Call it friendship, or a mentor-student relationship, they were on the same wavelength. For us, on the periphery, it was a delight to watch the duo at work.

After Apur Sansar, many roles came his way. I remember all of us went to watch this commercial film in which he was acting. It was a typical masala film and there was an over-the-shoulder shot, a serious one, and one could make out that Soumitra Babu was laughing because the face distorts. Baba later asked him, why were you smiling? And he said that the dialogues were completely absurd. Baba then told him that he must take all roles seriously. And he did.

Soumitra Babu is very thorough about his work. He always does his homework, whether it’s a play or film. I have even seen him doing sketches before a play, as part of his preparation. During the Ashani Sanket shooting, Soumitra Babu used to maintain a diary. He would pen the daily events, right through pre- and post-production. Now is probably the time to publish that diary.

When I decided to (re)start the Feluda series, I called him first. I had to tell him that I was doing a Feluda film without him, but didn’t know how to break it to him. I admit I was nervous before calling him, but he put me at ease and said: “Please go ahead. I can’t possibly play Felu-da [Brother Felu] any more; I am now Felu Kaku [Uncle Felu].” I did request him to play Shidhu Jetha [Feluda’s mentor] in the film, but he politely refused. That’s fine. I understand his sentiments.