Along with Vikram, Sreelekha plays street dog crusader in Pariah

-Sreelekha Mitra is an outspoken personality, who often gets involved in controversy. She gets several offers of acting but does not like any of them. Sreelekha is someone who likes to stick to her ideals. At last, she got a role close to her heart. She will be seen in Tathagata Mukherjee’s new film Pariah. 

According to Tathagata, Vikram Chatterjee is the ‘dark knight’ in this film, and Sreelekha Mitra is the ‘white knight’. Perhaps this is not one of the most difficult roles for Sreelekha as she has been fighting for the welfare of street dogs for so many years. 

Indie dogs are often identified as Indian Pariah. The film's protagonist Vikram does not have any identity or status and is exiled from the mainstream of society. He fights ruthlessly to save the indie breed in the dark. Sreelekha fights the same battle, but legally. Her organisation is an NGO fighting for street dogs. The director and the actress did not want to divulge more. 

Sreelekha told Anndabazar online, “I do not want to work just for work’s sake. I want to do roles that will give me some kind of a kick. My fight and cries for the street dogs underwent many troubles, and I was termed mad. I identify with the film's subject, it is close to my heart.” 

Why did Tathagata choose such a theme? He told Anandabazar online, “This is a film of my revenge. I grew up along with animals. I did not discriminate against them. I try to help those who work for them in Kolkata. But I see regularly that men hurt animals just for the sake of their entertainment. The law can not punish them properly, because we are still following the old law of 1950. My protest is against that law. The film is to make such people scared.”

Why did he choose Sreelekha? Tathagata said, “Sreelekhadi is very sensitive towards dogs and other animals in her private life. She had to go through many troubles for this. I think she has that courage to play the character, no one can portray this like her.” 

Sreelekha is confident about the film, “It must be made and people must watch it.”