Clad in a ravishing red shrug and long black gherao skirt Debolina started off the conversation with a candid smile…
WT: When did you get the first break in Tollywood after working on the silver screen?
DD: My start has been with the silver screen and I was in ‘Satkahan’ for Zee TV which was a daily soap and then got noticed by Dipak da and Chiranjeet da called me for auditions after which they offered me a role in ‘Manush Amanush’ and that paved a way for my entry in Tollywood industry.
WT: ‘Ek Akasher Niche’ is still fresh in everyone’s memory. Given a chance if ‘Ek akasher niche’ is recreated will you like to work again?
DD: I am always eager in this respect and wanted that something similar may be recreated. In fact, I have been the one to propose the same to Ravi Ojha and Mitalli. ‘Ek akasher niche’ is an epic in all aspects be it production or story or the execution of work. It has been an out of the world experience. I will be more than happy if something like this happens.
WT: Have you ever been in the theater?
DD: I have been in Kaushik Sen’s production ‘BHOY’ which has done more than 150 shows Sandipan’s ‘Bonner dus din’ and many of its kind.
WT: Were you always certain about being an actor?
DD: I have never thought of becoming an actress professionally and dance has been my passion. I used to dance and had a troop and use to do professional shows in different areas and my first show was in a government college. Time and again I participated in various beauty contests and got selected which had been the I had been into still modelling for few years and it was then when Tamal Dasgupta noticed me and offered me a role in ‘Manoshi’ serial which later got shelved and this exposure established my contacts in the industry and eventually offers flowed. Ultimately, ‘Ek Akasher Niche’ happened to me and that has been the turning point in my life. This has been accidental in my life. I played a central character in ‘Prabah’ and that planned my career in an unplanned way.
WT: It is heard that you do not like the concept of today’s mega serials. How do you look at the mega serials in present times?
DD: Serials we started at our time and the mega soaps that are there in these days are highly different. The quality has decreased and the quantity has increased. When we used to work the serials had a quality. But now serials or mega serials is degrading in all aspects and for actors like me, it is just a job. Right now in the Tollywood industry there is only one very good dialogue writer and she is Leena Ganguly and rest write nothing more than rubbish.
When we used to work the serials had a quality. But now serials or mega serials are degrading in all aspects and for actors like me, it is just a job.
WT: There was a time when you decided never to marry. What happened that you thought of getting married?
DD: I never believed in the institution of marriage and always believed that just a signature on the paper cannot bind two minds and souls rather that should come from the relation. Tathagata and I stayed together for a year before marriage and found each other to be very compatible hence as our families wanted us to get into the institution of marriage so to respect their wish we signed the papers.
WT: Why are you starting with short films?
DD: We started from short films keeping the time constraints of people and also since our channel is on YouTube
WT: Can we see Debolina Dutta as a director?
DD: Yes of course! The third venture of Miraj Production will be directed by me. I have done direction for Star Jalsha and Akash Bangla. ‘Naikar shonge ek din’ is my debut short film.
WT: Why ‘Suwopka’ as your short film and what is Miraj Production?
DD: We have selected metamorphosis and suwapoka are very popular being connected with the same. And to your second question – Miraj Production is a production house by me and Tathagata and under its banner, we are planning for short films.
WT: What is your unfulfilled desire in role playing?
DD: I am full of regrets in terms of acting. One is Leena Brown in ‘Saptapadi’ and ‘Wait Until Dark’ where there is a girl who plays a blind girl. Aparna Sen is one with whom I aspire to act and my dream director is Aneek.
I do not believe in competition.
WT: Do you believe in competitions?
DD: I do not believe in competition and that is evident from my career graph which shows I have never hesitated to take a break at the peak hours of my career. I do not crave for image rather go for out of the box roles which gives me a pleasure in acting.
WT: Resolution for the New Year 2017?
DD: I do not keep resolutions as I am very unplanned and unstructured. Tathagata and I have a planning of opening an acting school here in my residence with a totally different concept in 2017.
WT: When you and Tathagatha fight who wins?
DD: We both are very good debaters and our issues never get resolved rather till date all our topics of debate are incomplete.
Rapid Fire:
Two things you must have in your purse: Otrivin nasal drop and lipstick.
Debolina Dutta or Debolina Dutta Mukherjee – Debolina Dutta Mukherjee
Tollywood or Bollywood – Hollywood
Your first love – Arindam when I was in my school.
Best Friend – My husband
WT: Message for the WT readers.
DD: I wish everyone a very Happy New Year and May all the wishes of yours get fulfilled. Thank You, Woman Times for such a wonderful the candid conversation.
