Wednesday, Dec 25, 2024 | Last Update : 08:01 AM IST
"I worked with Buddhadeb Dasgupta long back, in his two films – 'Kaalpurush' and 'Mondo Meyer Upakhyan'. One was shot in 2000-'01 and the other probably around 2004-'05. He was a genius and I was pretty young to even understand what was going on. I started understanding his films with age.
"After (Satyajit) Ray and (Ritwik) Ghatak, Buddhadeb da was one of those Bengali filmmakers who earned respect of world cinema through his films. He had participated in almost all top-line international film festivals where people would wait for his films to screened. He was respected everywhere.
"On the set, he had a non-compromising attitude. He was not ready to compromise even an inch on any shot for any damn reason, which was something worth learning. Filmmaking for him was not just a profession, it was his passion. People say he used to write poems on celluloid, which is true to a large extent!
"Those who have watched his work would know that the sky played a very important role in his films. Each and every day before the shoot he would wake up, look at the colour of the sky, position of the sun and accordingly decide which scene to shoot! Filmmakers today do not get this liberty. I have been fortunate enough to be a part of this kind of filmmaking.
"I have worked with him 20 years back and was pretty young at that time. On the set, I would sit awestruck and watch the legend at work. His behaviour was always fatherly and nice towards me, although he used to communicate very little with actors. I was young at that time and felt scared to even go and talk to him.
"He would use actors as props. For him, an actor was never bigger than the film. For him, his film was the hero. So many big stars have worked with him but I can't remember a single film of Buddhadeb Dasgupta being promoted or marketed using the actor's name.
"I just hope someday someone again weaves poetry on the celluloid just like he did."
(As told to Ahana Bhattacharya)