Dibakar Banerjee directed Sushant in 2015. (Image courtesy: Instagram)
Strong points
- “We all fight it, day after day, whether they succeed or fail”: Dibakar
- “But the trick is to define this success and failure ourselves,” he said.
- Sushant Singh Rajput was found dead on Sunday
Mumbai:
Filmmaker Dibakar Banerjee remembers Sushant Singh Rajput like a dance lover chhokra of an engineering school which, having succeeded in Bollywood, was “enthusiastic, sincere and totally concentrated” on its job. Banerjeee said the actor always had “a book or two” with him and was proud of the fact that he had “an inner intellectual life far from the less deep aspects of showbiz”. Sushant Singh Rajput was found dead in his Bandra apartment on Sunday at the age of 34, leaving friends, colleagues and collaborators in shock. Patna-born actor and director worked together in the 2015 film Detective Byomkesh Bakshy! when Mr. Rajput was a newcomer to the industry. Dibakar Banerjee says it’s the vulnerability and willingness to make Sushant Singh Rajput that made him stand out for this role. In an interview with the PTI news agency, the filmmaker talks about Mr. Rajput’s sincerity, his love for science and astronomy and how a foreigner has to work harder than an “elite of” poor, demotivated and licensed establishment “to succeed in Bollywood.
Excerpts from the interview
(Q) You worked with Sushant when he was less than two years old in the film industry. What stood out most for you as Detective Byomkesh Bakshy?
Dibakar Banerjee: His vulnerability and his intensity and his ambition to do things different from the usual ones in Bollywood.
(Q) What were your memories of Sushant – the actor and the person?
Dibakar Banerjee: As an actor, he tightened himself for the scene, then plunged completely, shot after shot. It would add a lot of value to the preparation. He would be up the night before the shooting, reading the scene and taking notes and landing on the sets all ready to go.
He would be on, ready and give his one hundred percent throughout the filming of Byomkesh – regardless of the difficulty or the length of the day. The unit didn’t really have to worry about him – given that he was the star. That’s what I remember – a total pro, enthusiastic, sincere and totally focused.
As a person, it seemed to me a happy loving dance chhokra of an engineering school that had succeeded in showbiz and that was now serious about acting. He was deeply nostalgic for his carefree student days in Delhi. We laughed a lot – I remember it very well.
(Q) Sushant’s friends say that he talked more about books and his love for astronomy than films and their fate, which is rare for an actor in the industry. Do you also remember him that way?
Dibakar Banerjee: Absolutely true. He was mad about science and astronomy. He always had a book or two with him – and was proud of the fact that he had an inner intellectual life far from the shallower aspects of showbiz. I recognized it as a reflex and protective action to prevent the Bollywood swamp from sucking it completely. And also an identity that he wanted to protect and project.
(Q) The death of Sushant Singh Rajput has highlighted the struggles of aliens and the alienation they often face from the nepotist culture of the industry. Did you feel that Sushant was also leading this battle despite his success?
Dibakar Banerjee: We all fight it, day after day, whether it succeeds or fails. But the trick is to define this success and failure for ourselves and not let the narrative constantly forced by the establishment happen to you. Those who know this time, they storm and eventually survive and prosper.
The biggest injustice in all of this is that it takes twice as much talent, energy and hard work for a stranger to convince the public. and the industry that he or she is a box office bet as safe as an elite of poor, demotivated and empowered establishment.
The media agree on this by indulging in the family, the coterie and the cult of celebrities. This leads to deep anger and frustration. Those who can let this slide survive. Those who cannot – those who suffer a little more or are vulnerable and impressionable – are at risk.
(With the exception of the title, this story was not edited by GalacticGaming staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
