Acting not in my genes so turned down film offer: Somlata

Despite being sounded for an important role in Radhika Apre-starrer Pendulum, where she renders a melodious track, the first Bengali thriller themed on timelessness of time, popular contemporary singer Somlata Acharya asserts she is not okay with facing the camera and not even in a cameo.
"Acting is not in my genes. Yes Pendulum director 'Soukaryo (Ghosal) had sounded me for the role. I had got similar offers in past.But sorry, I don't want to be tagged as a singer-actor, I want to be known as singer only," the highest number of national awards winner Ranjana Ami Aar Asbona playback singer told PTI at the music launch of Pendulum themed on time and space.

"I was told by the director if I could act the scenes where my song is picturised on the female lead in the movie. I don't know which character it was, but I said no way," the pretty singer said as debutant film maker Soukaryo confirmed it was the very role finally essayed by Antoheen actor Radhika Apte.
"Yes I had thought about Somlata and Anindyo Chatterjee of Chandrabindoo for two important leads in my film for certain creative reasons as aesthetically-inclined personalities. However, both disagreed and I finally got two versatile actors like Radhika and Ronieda (Rajatabho Dutta) in the film. And as the saying goes, I am happy," Soukaryo chipped in.

Referring to the song "Kauke Janachhina", the 'Mayabano Biharini' crooner said "I was given the brief about different stories evolving around a single strand of space which could accentuate the mood of the film. The director told me the track will not be just a song, but sonic extension of the theme."
Somlata, who believes the drop in popularity of basic albums can be attributed to the decline in physical sale of audio CDs, said, "You can't generalize that film music is popular and basic album is not. Lots of basic album tracks are becoming hits on the web but companies incurring losses."

Ace Tollywood actor Subhasis Mukherjee, the lead in national award winner Herbert, said, "After Herbert and Meghe Dhaka Tara, Pendulam is the third definitive film in terms of cerebral quotient and I feel such roles exert you mentally and elevate as an actor."
Going by the script and the way Soukarya narrated my parts, Pendulum is a story on magic realism which takes you through multiple layers of parallel realities, or apparent realities. The idea fascinates me but don't know how it will reflect on the screen as I hadn't seen the whole film but his conviction makes me believe it will," Shor in the City actor Radhika Apte said.

Pendulum, produced by Cozum Analytics, will 'oscillate' in first week of March.