New Delhi, Mar 15: Actor Tillotama Shome says she shot for her latest film “Baksho Bondi” three days after she finished work on the second season of “Paatal Lok”, both projects in which she played women who weren’t “decorative” pieces.
While the latest chapter of “Paatal Lok” saw the actor essay the role of SP Meghna Barua, a no-nonsense Nagamese-speaking cop, “Baksho Bondi” stars her as a Bengali woman named Maya, who works multiple jobs to support her family in a dusty Kolkata suburb.
“Paatal Lok” season two premiered on Prime Video in January and “Baksho Bondi” premiered last month at the 75th Berlin International Film Festival under the newly-introduced section Perspectives.
“I shot for ‘Baksho Bondi’ three days after I wrapped ‘Paatal Lok’ (season two). So, I carried all the wishes of the team of ‘Paatal Lok’ with me to ‘Baksho Bondi’,” Shome told PTI in an interview.
It was almost by “osmosis” that the team of “Paatal Lok” felt the film was as important as their own project, she said.
“Everybody on the set knew that I had to go to shoot for ‘Baksho Bondi’ after ‘Paatal Lok’. It’s very special for me. I shot for them back-to-back and they came out the way they did.
“(They are) both projects in which women are not decorative and actually have something to say and do. I’m so glad to be living this phase of my life,” the 45-year-old added.
“Baksho Bondi”, titled “Shadowbox” in English, follows Maya, who along with her teenage son, tries to keep their family together when her husband, a retired soldier suffering from PTSD, goes missing in the middle of the night under suspicious circumstances.
The Bengali film is co-directed by debutants Tanushree Das and Saumyananda Sahi, who has also penned the screenplay.
Asked what made her trust the first-time filmmakers, Shome said the script spoke volumes about who the people behind the script might be.
“You can have wonderful scripts written by extremely dysfunctional people and I really was hoping against hope that that was not the case.
“I was happy to be proven right. And for that illusion in my heart to survive… This work affected me so deeply because the people were going to play an important part in my life.”
The actor, also known for “Monsoon Wedding”, “Qissa”, “Sir”, “Lust Stories 2”, and “Delhi Crime 2”, said in her very first meeting with the filmmakers, she realised that it would be a privilege for her to collaborate with them.
“In our 40s, friendships are very intentional and meetings are not just chances. For me, being able to commemorate a friendship like this with a film like this was truly extraordinary,” she added.
Shome has received rave reviews and critical acclaim for “Baksho Bondi”, which explores themes of class, privilege, family dynamics, and mental health.
The actor said people belonging to a certain higher economic and social strata need to keep a constant check on their privilege.
“… We need to be open and comfortable enough when someone points it out about us. We are all capable of this cruelty, the nicest of us. We have been a victim of this kind of cruelty or a perpetrator. It hits us because we are part of the gang of those well intentioned people with caste and class privileges.”
Shome, who is yet to sign her next gig, said being part of wonderful projects has been a fulfilling experience which has also “spoilt” her in a way.
“I find it very hard to say yes to anything I’ve read so far. Few things I’ve read which excite me are going to take time, no surprises there. I should just accept it instead of fighting and suffering because of it I must accept the fact that the things that I like take time and they exist. That’s the silver lining, that’s what keeps me going in these periods of wait which an actor’s life is often about,” she added.
The actor said she is trying to discipline herself to write so that she can push herself out of her comfort zone while she waits for the films she believes.
“I know it’ll take me time… Everything I’ve done usually takes time. It’s just been the theme of my life.”
“Baksho Bondi” also stars Chandan Bisht, Sayan Karmakar, and Suman Saha. (PTI)
