Chandan Roy Sanyal who have played a multitude of characters in different films will be seen in the role of an auto-rickshaw driver Hassu in the upcoming web-series Hawa Bade Hassu. The Kolkata Mail correspondent caught up with the actor in an exclusive chat about his role in the web-series. Excerpts..

You are acting in a web-series based on environmental issues. What made you say yes to acting in this web-series?

Chandan Roy Sanyal- It was the story, script and my role. This is a slice of life story turning into full fledged sci-fi towards the climax. The sci – fi in this one is futuristic unlike the mythological ones made in our country. How often do you stumble upon something like this? The character graph is unique, I can’t think of any close reference really. This series is truly one of its kind. All the pertinent messages around environmental issues are also packed in without compromising on entertainment. My directors Saptaraj and Shiva have done a fabulous job along with co- writer Protiqe Mojoordar. The writing is impeccable and what has translated on screen has surpassed our expectations.

This is your debut web-series. How has the working experience been so far?

Chandan Roy Sanyal– Not my debut in the web space though. I did Sholay Girl which is a web film. Series is always fun cause the canvas is large. We are very certain this should roll into Season 2, as talks are on. So yes, you get to live with the character for a longer period of time. Web as a medium also really excites me. It is so much more inclusive, real and experimental.

Tell us something about your character, Hassu?

Chandan Roy Sanyal- Hassu talks a lot of sense. All his passengers, friends and family are subjected to non-stop banter on environment . He is quirky and queer in this own way but a very adorable character. He has immense knowledge on environmental issues unlike a regular rickshaw driver and he wants to make people conscious about environment conservation. You can hardly tell that is a rickshaw wala. There are lot of contradictory aspects in this character and by the end of the series we get to understand the contradictions or at least get the perspective right.

 How did you prepare yourself to play Hassu?

Chandan Roy Sanyal- Preparation for any role is a usual drill, unless you need to train for a specific skill set. In this case, it was riding a rickshaw. Other than that I watched a lot of old films as the protagonist is playing a rickshaw or taxi driver which is purely a backend research job for an actor. I met a lot of rickshaw drivers and talked with them just to understand the profession better, their lifestyle, aspirations, body language and generally their take on environmental issues. There were many common responses and on certain other counts, I got varied feedback. So after all of this you read the script over and over again, try to understand the character and what you can do with it. Everything goes up as mental notes and when the camera rolls you start pulling out your aces one by one.

You learnt to ride a rickshaw for the role. How difficult was that?

Chandan Roy Sanyal- Learning how to ride a rickshaw was not all that difficult cause I drive. It is that bare bone structure and the wobbly nature of the vehicle that makes you uncomfortable to ride around cause you are not use to driving that kind of a structure. You are directly exposed to emissions, it is in your face and you are inhaling all sorts of poisonous gas. Luckily I did my training early in the morning when the traffic isn’t heavy, despite which I felt the discomfort. Imagine how uncomfortable it is for a rickshaw wala to be doing that day in and day out.

Environmental problems are a burning issue now. How far do you think this web-series will help in generating awareness among the audience?

Chandan Roy Sanyal- This is a very well made series. Like I said, it is entertaining, very well researched and all the important messages are also conveyed in a seamless manner. We feel Hawa Badle Hassu for sure is a conversation starter. The series will make people far more conscious and ask the right question. We need more such content to really make that lasting impact. Hassu should roll over to season 2, talks are on and other people from the industry should also start considering environmental issues as potential subject.

Since you are acting in a series which focuses on environmental issues, are you involved in doing some activities that help in saving the environment?

Chandan Roy Sanyal- I am environment conscious and in my own way I try to do things that don’t hurt the environment further. I would like to consolidate my efforts and channelize them into working around the issue in a more structured manner. Most of my engagements, thus far has been very sporadic and on the spot decisions. Going forward I would like to associate with relevant people and scale up my efforts.

What are your next projects-films, web-series?

Chandan Roy Sanyal- My next release in Jabariya Jodi with Siddharth and Parineeti. Also I did a special appearance in a TVF series called Cheesecake. A Bengali film with Koel Mallick, directed by Soukarya Ghoshal will release soon. Currently I’m shooting for a Bangla film with Tillotamma Shome called Deep Six which is directed by Madhuja Mukherjee and shot by ace cameraman Abhik Mukherjee who shot October also.

Since you have already made your debut in the web-series domain, will we get to see you in Bengali web-series too?

Chandan Roy Sanyal- Talks are on. Let’s see, if I get a good script I may do it.

Wishing the actor all the best for Hassu and we hope he makes a mark with the character.