Shohorer Ushnotomo Dine director Aritra Sen: Casting Vikram and Solanki happened magically

Young director Aritra Sen is all set with the release of his second feature film, Shohorer Ushnotomo Dine. The film features one of the most popular television couples, Vikram Chatterjee and Solanki Roy, who became a household name after their serial Ichche Nodee. Now, the actor and actress are back with their sizzling chemistry. The film, which also features Rahul Dev Bose, Sujoy Prosad Chatterjee, Debopriyo Mukherjee, and others, delves into the nostalgia of the City Of Joy. Aritra talks to OTTplay about their casting and how the film reflects his own life. Read on…

Vikram and Solanki’s casting in the film has created quite a buzz already. How did you plan it?

Believe it or not, their casting was independent of each other and purely incidental. I was in talks with Vikram for a film, and then this film happened. Solanki came much later. I was looking for a suitable face while developing the story. Solanki heard the story and immediately related to it. She was locked. After they got on board, I got to know about this hype of their chemistry (laughs). This decision turned out to be lucky. Soon after they got on board, they became a part of the entire process. They took the initiative on their own, and we worked as a team.

It is often said that at least one film in a director’s lifetime will tell the story of the director. Is Shohorer Ushnotomo Dine one such film that tells your story?

Yes, you can say it is. The journey of the male protagonist in the film has similarities to my life. But that’s just the beginning. It is a film that talks about urban displacement. We begin our life in one place and then move to the other when we grow up, go abroad for studies and work, and so on. We are in this constant flux, and in this film, this is shown through the prism of love.

Also read: Vikram Chatterjee on Solanki Roy: We share magic on screen 

This is your second feature film, and like the first one, Ghore Pherar Gaan, this one, too, is a love story. Do you love this genre of romantic films?

When I started directing web series, almost all of them, including Kaali, horote Aaj, and Damayanti, were thrillers. Then, people used to ask me why I only make thrillers. Now people ask me if I make only romantic films (laughs). But the point is, you make a film when you get completely immersed in a story. Incidentally, these two are of the romantic genre. My third film, Prantik, is a drama.

Also, Ghore Pherar Gaan and Shohorer Ushnotomo Dine are totally different from each other. The former is also about the freedom of a woman, her choices, and how she gets there. This one is more of an ode to my city, Kolkata.

Interestingly, both the titles have Moheener Ghoraguli reference to it (while the second film’s title Shohorer Ushnotomo Dine is by Gorer Math, it came to the fore because of Goutam Chattopadhyay’s album). That’s interesting…

The first film is a musical, and the second one has a significant influence of music (though it is not a musical). I think subconsciously, this idea of music silently borrowed titles from Moheener Ghoraguli. Maybe, for me, the idea of these films took me to their songs. This also reflects my love for their music.

You are comparatively a newcomer producer and director in the feature film business. What is your experience in Kolkata?

Ghore Pherar Gaan took a late pick-up and ran for 12 weeks in Nandan. I got a lot of phone calls, fractions, and reviews. I realised one thing that a film’s success lies in the relatability and to whom it is being relatable. A lot of people related to Ghore Pherar Gaan, but that audience is not generic. I believe a lot more people, especially youngsters, will relate to Shohorer Ushnotomo Dine.

This film is co-presented by Parambrata Chatterjee, and his film Shibpur is getting released on the same day. Is the film facing competition from its producer?

No. We spoke about it, and we agreed that Shohorer Ushnotomo Dine and Shibpur are totally different from each other. They have no common space to be each other’s competition. Parambrata and I sare partners. I used to be his associate for a long time. We constantly talk, and both of us are on the same page on this that they are totally different films from each other.