Clearly, Rituparna's journey hasn't been conventional, the accidental actress then went on to bring life to a wide spectrum of emotionally layered characters. From the fierce and vulnerable in Dahan to the quietly resilient in Utsab, the spirited protagonist in Paromitar Ek Din, and the emotionally complex leads in Alo and Mondo Meyer Upakhyan, her versatility as an actor allowed her to straddle both parallel cinema and commercial fare with ease.

It's almost dramatic how actor Rituparna Sengupta stumbled into the world of cinema – not with grand ambitions or an industry godfather, but with sheer serendipity that made her a people's favourite and the sweetheart of Bengali cinema. It was back in her early college days when she was studying hard to make her parents' dream come true – of becoming an Indian Administrative Service officer. But destiny had other plans for her.

One of Rituparna's friends stole her pictures and sent them to a production house that was making a fairytale series Shwet Kapot with Kushal Chakraborty in 1989, little did she know that she would one day work with inimitable seven-time National Award-winning director Rituparno Ghosh and win the prestigious National Award for her hauntingly nuanced performance in Dahan.

In her illustrious career spanning over three decades, Rituparna made films in Hindi cinema that were not commercial hits but emotionally layered so much so that she became a delight to watch on screen. She carved her niche in Hindi cinema with films like Main, Meri Patni Aur Woh, Bumm Bumm Bole, and Anuranan with Rahul Bose. After a successful stint as an actor, she has now donned the hat of a producer with her latest release Bengali film Puratawn, where she is seen working with veteran actor Sharmila Tagore.

The actor doesn't shy away from saying that she credits this movie to Tagore as she wanted to do a Bengali film. The film also marks Tagore's return to Bengali cinema after 14 years. A cinematic icon in her own right, Tagore also said that "this is one of the best films she did and perhaps the last one."

While the film has been receiving amazing reviews, Rituparna, who also lost her mother during the making of the film, finds comfort in Tagore as someone who guided her through the grieving period. The actress spoke more candidly as we connected with her over a call to talk more about her journey as an actor, growing old in a notoriously ageist industry, the evolution of women in cinema, her ambitions to go beyond the limelight of the camera and much more...

Excerpts from the interview...

Tell us about the film Puratawn, what drew you to this story, and how does it differ from the characters you’ve portrayed in the past?

The film happened because of Sharmila Tagore. She wanted to do a Bengali film because she had not acted in a Bengali film for a very long time. She wanted to do a film with me if there was a good script. It was so generous of her to say that she wanted to work with me. I started looking for good scripts and spoke to the film's director Suman Ghosh. I asked him if he could weave a story between Sharmila ji and me as a mother and daughter, which can be very thought-provoking for the audience as well. We did this movie with a lot of passion and hard work. She (Tagore) wanted me to produce the film and it all happened beautifully. She worked like a dream in this film and she's so happy and content doing this film. She said that perhaps this is one of her best films and maybe her last film.

What was it like sharing the screen with Sharmila Tagore? Were there any conversations or moments with Sharmila Tagore that particularly stayed with you during the shoot?

I was over the moon actually because it was such a great opportunity for me to work with her. We have a lot of fond memories of working on this film. She is such a good advisor. When we were making this film, I lost my mother and that was a huge setback for me so this movie has become even more relevant. I have learned so much from her. She is such an effervescent lady and she kept the whole unit in such a good spirit.

She never let us feel that she's a diva, a Nawab's wife or a great superstar. She was so blended with this whole unit that we were and still are in awe of her. When my mother was unconscious in the hospital, Sharmila ji would say 'You talk to your mom because she's listening to you'. That's how she treated me and she loved me a lot. She has given me so much love and affection that I feel this is a beautiful association that we have formed. I will cherish this forever.

You’ve often chosen roles that defy formulaic narratives. What compels you to consistently lean toward offbeat or emotionally layered characters?

See, I believe in good cinema and films that resonate with the audience. I always feel those sensibilities which trigger human emotion and I have always wanted to do relationship-based films because they stay with you and you always feel connected with those kinds of films. At the same time, I have also delved into commercial films because I don't believe in one kind of cinema. I have different molds and I can get into any of them effortlessly. Both kinds of films have given me a lot of high. However, I strongly believe that deep emotional films stay with you forever. My bond with cinema is very permanent as I have always tried to move my audience with my sensibilities as an actor.

What’s your take on longevity in the film industry, especially for women who wish to reinvent themselves at different stages of life?

I wanted to keep myself relevant and I wanted to keep myself going with the flow. So I have seen so many changes happening in the industry. Women have come a long way even in terms of logistics. There's an emerging cinema now on global platforms. I see a lot of great content happening with interesting collaborations. I can talk about myself that I tried to place myself in a way that I can continue to reinvent myself. I didn't place myself strategically as I am not a very strategic person. Even today, I am the pivotal factor in a film and the scripts are being written keeping me in mind. In the last few years, women have been at the forefront and a lot of beautiful scripts have been written around women.

They are taking centre stage and empowering other women as well. You see Sharmila Tagore, the character in Puratawn is written for her. I am a woman who is acting and also producing the film. So that also builds a lot of women empowerment here. However, I feel there's still a lot of scope to explore more women-centric roles and much attention needs to be paid to how we want to place women in films. I believe that there is always space for all ages of actors.

You straddle both Bengali and Hindi cinema with ease. Where do you feel most at home — and what are the creative freedoms and constraints in each space?

For me, cinema has got a very interesting connection as I feel it doesn't have any barriers of language or any region. It is very fluid because I want to be known as a very versatile actor in cinema. I have worked with all kinds of directors and scripts and I feel extremely comfortable working in both Bengali and Hindi films.

Do you think the younger generation of filmmakers in Bengal is honouring the legacy of stalwarts like Satyajit Ray and Ritwik Ghatak while also pushing the envelope?

Yes, they are! The young directors are influenced by many big directors who have left their legacy of work. While they are inspired, they also move forward with their own ideas which actually is like a celebration of the past.

How do you look back on winning the National Award now, and has it changed the way you choose scripts or approach your craft?

I always look into my subjects carefully, but not too carefully at the same time because I want to follow my instincts as an actor. I don't do too much scrutiny. But yes, I do a scrutiny on what the film and my character are offering to the audience. So that is one thing I keep a watch on and I want to see some great movement happening there so that I can come back with good feedback from my audience because my audience has got tremendous expectations from me. I don't want to dishearten them and neither do I want to make them feel that I am not doing substantial work to make them happy. So that way I keep on doing things carefully. But at the same time, I also feel there are a lot of unexplored areas that I want to explore and if those scripts are offered to me, I would love to take them up as an actor.

Do awards still matter at a time when social media validation overshadows artistic merit?

Yes, they do! Social media is a two-edged sword. Sometimes you receive praise and sometimes you receive things that you don't deserve. If you put a lot of energy into social media, you lose your focus on work. All you think of getting validation from social media. It's a difficult persuasion. Social media always has some blame games to play. But then if you fall in the trap, you are gone. I respect social media followers and fans to a level where they respect boundaries, if they start disrespecting me unnecessarily, I start ignoring it.

Have you ever considered moving behind the camera — being a director — to tell stories from a more personal lens?

My actor self is now completely saying that you have got a lot of things to explore. Your half work is done and half work is still left. So I have to be more of an actor now and work very strongly with good roles. Direction, I don't know. I have done a lot of dance drama direction in the past. But for films, there are no such plans as of now. But maybe someday if something triggers me, then maybe Yes.

Your career has been both prolific and varied. When you reflect on your journey so far, what moments or decisions stand out as turning points?

I think this decision to make a film with Sharmila Tagore has been a wonderful decision for my career. Everybody is praising and showering so much love and affection. This film has sort of changed the mode of the industry because getting this veteran back after so many years is not a child's play. I have not taken any help from big production houses to make this movie, so it also marks as one of the landmarks of my journey. I am also proud of the decisions I took to work with new directors, who went on to become known ones. Working with Rituparno Ghosh was also a landmark. I still have a lot of work to do. My idea of life is that my work should remain and inspire people even when I leave this world.

Many leading artists are stepping into politics today. Do you see yourself ever entering public life in that way, especially given your visibility and influence?

I am not a person who can be a very wise political candidate. I don't have the capacity or the expertise to become a politician for the simple reason that I am not very strategic and a very shrewd person. In politics, you have to be very diplomatic and you have to have a lot of characteristics which are not the way I think or function. So I am not suitable for politics. I believe I can contribute to the country by doing many other works and I am doing my bit by being part of several social causes.

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