Subrat Dutta: Southern films have fuelled hope of many | Bollywood

The success of Southern films has fuelled up hope for actors working in the Bengali film industry as well, feels Talaash and Bhootnath Returns actor Subrat Dutta.

“There is lot of excitement in the regional film industries after the success of Southern films in recent years. Few months back we had a pan-India release of Jeet’s commercial film Chengiz, Odiya film Daman and during Durga Puja there will be another pan-India release,” says the actor.

Dutta believes this will scale up the budgets for regional films. “Good content with artistic finesse is being made in Bengal so why can’t we go for big budget films with pan-India release and international outlook! People are talking about it and success of South films has sparked the desires of regional filmmakers.”

After completing 25 years in the industry, Dutta says, “I’m a batchmate of Nawazuddin (Siddiqui in NSD) and have done good work in both Bengali and Hindi film industry. After giving so many years to acting, I deserve to get good roles and decent payment. For me, the role has to be dynamic or else the remuneration must be good. I have stopped doing badi film main chota role, except for khaas friends!”

He candidly confessed that there can’t be a thumb rule. “Good roles get good money but that can be compromised when it is a well-crafted character or a lead role! Taking a role just for money depends on the state I am in – work schedule and need of money (smiles). We are not stars, so for actors like us, there can’t be fixed rules. There are only 40-50 actors who get the option to choose roles, for us it’s the other way round!”

Last seen in web-film Forensic (2022) and Honeymoon, Dutta has multiple projects lined-up. “I have completed three Bengali projects. My next Hindi release will probably be the film Guthlee Ladoo as parallel lead with Sanjay Mishra where I play an underprivileged and father of two. I have also shot for Lucknow Times and Asmaan both by Kerala Files director Sudipto Ghosh. Besides, release of film Jaiyee Aap Kahan Jayengey, Flowers of the Mountain, T for Taj Mahal and an untitled film are in pipeline.”