Exclusive! Ishaa Saha: I am exasperated with the media speculations over my relationship with Indraneil Sengupta

Ishaa Saha is undoubtedly one of the busiest actresses in the Bengali film industry. Her Pujo releases Karnasubarner Guptodhon and Kacher Manush were liked by the viewers. In fact, the third chapter of Sonada-series was a massive success at the box office. Now she is gearing up with her highly-anticipated web series, Indu 2. After the cliffhanger ending of the show's first season in 2021, the team is finally ready with the second season that will be dropped on Hoichoi on January 20. Before the release, Ishaa spoke to OTTplay exclusively about her portrayal of Indu, her new film with Paroma Neotia, and her rumoured affair with Indraneil Sengupta.

You admitted that your fans highly anticipated the second season of Indu. Now that the release date is in front of us, how do you feel?

People – my fans, Hoichoi fans, and general viewers – chased me down with one question: When can we watch Indu 2? And this is not only in Bengal but across the world. I was shooting in London and people asked me about Indu. I worked in many films and not everybody watched everything. But I have a feeling that everybody watched Indu. I call this chase, ‘bhalobashar otyachar’. Now that the release date is here, this chase will be over. I feel a little strange about it.

Tell us about the second season…

All I can tell you is that we shot the second season in very little time. We had a tight schedule and we had to pull through an enormous job.

Will there be a third season of Indu?

You will have to watch the second season to know that.

How did you deal with the pressure of the Indu fan’s expectations?

I stayed away from it. Deliberately. We had a very tight schedule. If I started thinking about their expectations, I could not have done my job. The Indu team is like a family and we tried to have a good time while shooting.

Also, since we had little time, I was focussing on my character. When we did the first season, we did not know that the response would be so huge. I was calmer and more composed. Now it is different. Also, I changed as a person in the last two years. It's easier for the Guptodhon franchise because my character Jhinuk is somewhat like Ishaa Saha. But Indu is nothing like my character.

Now that the show will be dropped on Jan 20, what are your expectations?

I don’t keep expectations. Fingers crossed this will be a good show too. Sahanadi (Dutta, creator) helped a lot.

The trailer for your next film Mithye Premer Gaan is here. Tell us about it.

The offer came to me like any other film. I liked the script and I agreed. Then something happened. The schedule for Kacher Manush got postponed and clashed with MPG. I was very tense. Then a senior member from the fraternity counselled me and convince me to do the two films together. That was the first time for me.

In the film, the name of my character is Anwesha. She is a journalist. Two time period is portrayed in the film – one is when I was young and fell in love with Aveek (Anirban Bhattacharya) and then the grown-up Anwesha after their break up.

How was your experience of working with a debutant filmmaker?

While Paroma comes from an influential business family, she is an outright-trained director. She knows what she wants. She has a clear vision. Also, what I liked about her is she is unabashed about her love for Yash Chopra and Shah Rukh Khan. Also, her team is young and brimming with energy.

While Mithye Premer Gaan deals with a musician’s life, your other film, Ghore Pherar Gaan also deals with musicians. There is a similarity in the names as well…

It is purely coincidental. I can assure you that the two films are very different from each other. Initially, the name of MPG was different and later got changed.

Tell us about your work experience with Anirban Bhattacharya and Arjun Chakrabarty…

I worked with Anirban in Hoichoi’s Detective. But we had limited interaction in that show. He is a trained actor and this time I was rather scared. Our first scene together was full of my dialogue. I was nervous. But once it started I became very comfortable. If there is a trained actor in front of you, you tend to bring out your best too. Anirban is very flexible and I loved working with him.

With Arjun, it was difficult. Arjun and I share such a bonding due to our Goptodhon outings that I found it difficult to be serious. I started laughing in intense scenes. But finally, we made it.

Finally, the industry is abuzz with your relationship rumour with Indraneil Sengupta…

What can I say? I am a private person. I never talked about my previous relationship. I kept mum about my breakup and I don’t want to talk about this also. But I have problems when a section of the media pays no respect to my privacy.

A lot has been written over your presence at the premiere of Indraneil’s Hatyapuri…

I am exasperated with the media reports. I don’t owe anyone any explanation. But some publications wrote that I ‘secretly’ went there in a ‘de-glam look’. It is rubbish. I went there, posed for the media, and talked to everyone. There was no secrecy. Also, those publications linked me up with another actor and director. This is ridiculous. I abhor this lack of dignity.