Make way for another Bong beauty

From romancing Ayushmann Khurrana to web series with Kalki Koechlin, Ritabhari Chakraborty talks to NIKITA WADHAWAN about carving her own path

Following the footsteps of talented actresses like Bipasha Basu and Konkana Sen Sharma, Ritabhari Chakraborty made her Bollywood debut with a romantic music video opposite chocolate boy Ayushmann Khurrana. Ritabhari who is well known for her role in Bengali television serial

Ogu Bodhu Sundari and Bengali films such as Tomar Shange Praner Khela, has now don the hat of a producer for a short film with Kalki Koechlin, Naked. Excerpts from the interview.

How has your journey from Bengali cinema to Bollywood?

It has been long. I have been in the industry for seven years. I was 16 when I started working, I was in school and was discovered by Ravi Ojha, who is sadly no more. I was really young and had no idea how things went. But the serial became really popular. I was very busy working in a TV serial but I made sure that I complete my education. After the serial I took a break for a year and didn’t want to come back to television. I have high regards for TV but I wanted to venture into movies so graduated from into films and theatre. In school I was very studious and right now it does get a bit overwhelming where I have reached.

What made you say yes to a music video Orrey Mon with Ayushmann Khurrana?

Calcutta café, who produced the music video they wanted an authentic Bengali feel to the video. They were searching for a Bengali actress, even a Bengali guy but they wanted it to go national. I was on-board even before Ayushmann, actually they were choosing between Arjun Kapoor and Ayushmann back then, as they needed to sign someone for a year. It was really nice that they choose Ayushmann as he could lend his voice to the song. He has really picked up the language, you cannot make out that he doesn’t know Bengali.

Did you teach him Bengali while you worked together?

I tried to teach him. Even when he was here for Meri Pyari Bindu, we hung out as some of his closest friends are from Kolkata. So we all went out for dinner and he was adamant to converse in Bengali, he really tried. Even when we were shooting the video since the whole crew used to speak Bengali, but Ayushmann made sure he was not alienated and blended in with the crew quickly. It was very impressive.

Why did you choose a web series like Naked?

Recently I had gone to the Facebook HQ in San Francisco as I and a collaboration with them. After doing a Facebook live video, we started talking about cyber abuse in India. I felt that Facebook should bring it up but since they are too far they preferred if someone else could bring up the topic and they could collaborate with them. I had that in mind but I also knew that since my reach is Bengali cinema I need someone with a global connect. Initially we had Radika, Konkana and Kalki in mind but we eventually settled on Kalki. We wanted an actor who has done all sorts of things and not someone who looks sorry when she is saying the lines.

How was it working with Kalki Koechlin?

Kalki is my favourite co-star till now. Usually we perceive stars a certain way and even though Kalki is very busy she gave us her full attention and showed a lot of enthusiasm. She wanted it to be conversational and not made up at all. I learnt so much from Kalki and working with her. I admire her as a person and she is a wonderful human being.

Have you ever face online abuse?

Yes, many times. Once I had done a bikini shoot for a leading daily that went viral on the internet as it was portrayed in a very sleazy manner. I was shocked, I didn’t know that bikini shoot was still such a big deal for people. Even Kalki face the same, when she shot scenes of her movie Girl in Yellow Boots and people dubbed her scenes with vulgar noises and put it on the net.