Ritabhari Chakraborty, who is best known in the Hindi film industry for her role in Pari, is a huge star in Bengali cinema. In an exclusive conversation with the Free Press Journal, she speaks about her passion for working for underprivileged kids, her career, and more. Excerpts:
Ritabhari Chakraborty with her school kids |
How did the idea of opening a school for deaf children come to you?
I have been running this school for deaf children for about 12 years now. However, the school is around 50 years old, but when I got introduced to it, I was 17 and living in the neighbourhood. They approached me as it was on the verge of shutting down due to lack of funds. That is the time when I met the kids and felt they are my responsibility. Back then, I had 32 kids, and now I have 76. It has been quite a journey for me. I became the patron and provided all kinds of funds. I organised my NGO and got it government-certified so that I could get funds to run the school. My kids are underprivileged. I celebrate every festival, be it Christmas, Durga Puja or Valentine’s Day, with them. I also get to go back to my childhood while holding their hands.
You are labelled as a Bengali actress. Are you okay with that?
It goes both ways, good and bad. It’s a regional industry, and the national industry is the Hindi film industry. Bollywood is much bigger than other regional ones. The South still goes close, but they have four different languages together to make it. The Hindi industry has a certain place that ensures higher competition, and the number of people working in it are also more. In the last few years, I have attained a position in the top three actresses, but I don’t take it for granted. I represented Bengal at the Indian Panorama inauguration. Salman Khan, Ranveer Singh and many others were there. Bengal has given me that place to be with such stars who have a body of work. Regional industry gets diluted since the national industry has more money.
You did Anushka Sharma’s production Pari in Hindi. How do you take the failure of the film?
I am extremely grateful for the fact that Pari happened to me. I did want to be a part of Hindi cinema to understand the journey it takes. I remember, just before that, I had shot Naked with Kalki that I had written and produced as well. That’s how Clean Slate Filmz noticed me and took me for Pari. Anushka is a big name, and her studio tried to tell an amazing story which excited me. As a film, I rated it quite high irrespective of the box office collections. There are lots of horror films being made in India, but I take pride in being a part of a very different film like Pari. I won’t do any Hindi film just for the sake of it. Producers are not even scared to put money in my solo films, and this is someplace to reach.
What are you looking for in Bollywood now?
I have been co-writing a film with a friend of mine for which I am really excited. I get many Hindi offers, but I have said no. Now I have been wanting to enter digital space, but I have a few reservations with nudity. It is like selling porn, but if it is an integral part of the plot, I would never say no. Since there’s no censorship on OTT, people try and sell obscenity which I am not in favour of.
