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Brahmananda is My Redemption as a Failed Actor: Anjan

RBN Web Desk: Actor-director Anjan Dutt has said that the role he plays in Srijit Mukherji’s upcoming film Uma has a striking resemblance to what he himself has gone through in life. Anjan plays Brahmananda Chakraborty, an out of work filmmaker in Uma, who is approached to recreate Durga Puja in Kolkata in June, long before its usual time in September-October.

Speaking to a leading Bengali music channel recently, Anjan said, he never let the bitterness and frustration of having failed to break into the league of mainstream actors creep into him. He could have easily drowned himself in alcohol, all the while brooding over the fact that none knows anything about films, and that neither could anyone recognise his talent. But much like the story in Uma, people came along to encourage him to return as a singer-songwriter and a filmmaker. At 64, he is never short of energy to try something new, Anjan said.

The Aami Ashbo Phirey director recalled that back in 1983, when Prabhat Roy was making Protidaan, he had approached him for a role in one of his films. Anjan told Roy that he is not a typical-looking actor and can’t romance on screen. But he can play the central character, something like Sidney Poitier in To Sir, With Love (1967), leaving the romantic part to younger actors. But Prabhat Roy was not convinced, and went to do the film with another bunch of actors, Anjan said.

Uma is based on the real-life story of Evan Leversage, who battled a terminal brain tumour and wanted to have one last Christmas before 25 December, because doctors feared that he may not live until then. Residents of his hometown in St George, Ontario, came together and decorated the entire town Christmas style on 24 October to fulfil the seven-year old boy’s wish.

Evan died on 8 December 2015 and was laid to rest two days later.

Uma releases this Friday.