So, how long has the journey been as of now?
Twelve years to be precise. My first role was in Prabhat Roy’s Duranta Prem in which I played a negative character who was reformed in the end. The formative years were very important for me as I worked with different directors like Haranath Chakrabarty (Ranakhetro, Shosurbari Zindabad), Anjan Choudhury (Mukhya Mantri, Nach Nagini) and Swapan Saha (Shantaan Jokhon Shotru, Manush Keno Beimaan, Golmaal), all of them totally mainstream filmmakers who gave me the 'feel' of the kind of cinema that is being made in West Bengal.

How did you get into films in the first place since no one in your family is into films?
This may sound like a cliché but believe me, it just happened. I used to do a lot of dance shows. I am a self-taught dancer and started out as a dancer. Being into athletics and all kinds of sporting activities egged me on to concentrate on my body. My aim was to get into the army. Dancing was an extension of my involvement in athletics. But I don’t know if you will believe this, but this toned body was a liability when I stepped into Bengali cinema. There was no demand for a body-person, if you know what I mean. So, I accepted all the negative and side roles that came my way till the tide turned in my favour. I got a meaty role in Rituparno Ghosh’s Shubho Muhurat. But to be frank, my body really became my asset when Rituparno in his Chokher Bali cast me in the role of Behari. Behari in the literary source was a wrestler and body builder and my appearance suited the character. It also changed the course of my career in films. 

Would you say Chokher Bali was the turning point of your career?
Absolutely. I would not have been where I am today had Chokher Bali not happened in 2003.

You had given up television. But you are back now. Why?
I had given up television because I wanted to concentrate on developing my film career. Then, people would walk up to me and ask me why they were not seeing me on the small screen. I realised that television had its own merits. You are never a star on television, always an actor. Television doesn’t stereotype you the way cinema does. So, recently I have accepted a very important role in a megaserial called Lal Trikon which has just gone on air. I play the son of a political leader with political aspirations of his own. It's an interesting role and I hope we get the right kind of TRPs for it.

How will you assess yourself as an actor?
I am absolutely a director’s actor. That is the ideal way to acquire a wide range. It helps you work with different directors as each one has his way of directing and his own way of moulding you. Cinema, after all, is a director's medium. The director is an artist so each director paints the canvas of the film in a different way. I don’t want to get into a set pattern by working under one director in film after film. It could stagnate an actor apart from stereotyping him.

You have worked with some of the best actors in the industry – Aishwarya Rai, Nandita Das, Konkona Sen, Prosenjit, everyone. How was it working with them?
They are totally committed people and thus, are extremely cooperative because they know that if they are not cooperative, their own roles will suffer. They have absolutely no ego hassles. It was a wonderful learning experience. I am a great fan of Mithun da, Pankaj Kapoor and Irrfan Khan. Will you believe me if I tell you that I have seen Maqbool five times? 

Let’s hear about your current assignments
I have six releases this year. The run has begun with 90 Hours. Then, I have finished working in Mon Amour Shesher Kobita being directed by a very young boy called Shubrajit. I have done a role in Voyal directed by the same director. There is Golmaal by Swapan Saha. Rituparno Ghosh’s Sunglass with Konkona as my wife is ready for release. Shooting for another Swapan Saha film will begin in March and it promises to be the first dance-based film in Bangla. Tintotettor Jishu directed by Sandip Ray is likely to release by the end of this year. Then there is Parambrato’s directorial debut film that has not been titled yet. 

Dream roles?
I am very greedy about roles. I would love to do every single kind of role there is. It will widen my horizon and enable me to explore my potential as an actor.
TWF