The Bengali film Rosogolla is nearly all set for release. The Kolkata Mail correspondent Priyanka Dutta caught up with actor Rajatava Dutta in an exclusive chat about his character in the film. Excerpts..

Can you tell us something about the character you play in Rosogolla?

Rajatava Dutta- I play Kalidas Indra in the film. He was one of the few graduates in Kolkata at that time and he was also an eminent sweet manufacturer. He was an uncle of Nobin Chandra Das and Nobin used to work in his sweet shop. But since Nobin was an inventor at heart, he did some experiments which ultimately led to his getting sacked from the job. He opens a shop just opposite Kalidas’s shop. With the passing of time, his shop becomes popular and a business rivalry grows between them. What happens next? To know that, you will have to watch the film!!

The name of the film is so sweet- Rosogolla. How sweet was the shooting experience?

Rajatava Dutta- Ujaan, Abantika did a good job in the film. I worked for the first time with Pavel and the amount of research that he had done for the film was great. Many of my friends have acted in the film. Most of my scenes were with Kharaj Mukherjee. Shooting a period film is difficult in Kolkata as we have a small market and not much production houses are there who can afford such expenses. I thank Windows for giving Pavel such a chance to make a film on this scale. When so many good things are there in a film, the shooting experience was as sweet as the name of the film.

How was Pavel as a director?

Rajatava Dutta- I know Pavel for a long time. From the first time I saw him, I knew he had the capacity to think differently. Pavel sent me the script and I was very impressed. There are many chances that often the script is good but the film becomes like a documentary. But Pavel took care of that aspect and made the film according to the target audience. He has done a good job.

How was Ujaan as an actor?

Rajatava Dutta- I met him when he was a kid and I could not recognize him when I acted with him. It was later that night when Kaushik telephoned me and asked me how was the shooting experience that I understood that it was Ujaan. He has done a great job in the film. This is his first film and he has done the role very well.

Since this is a film on a Bengali sweet, do you love eating sweets?

Rajatava Dutta-One of the most important reasons behind my gaining weight is due to my consuming of sweets. I don’t like sweets with high sugar content. I like light sugar content sweets. And Rosogolla like every other Bengali is a favourite of mine too.

Since this is a period film, how much research did you have to do for your character?

Rajatava Dutta- Well, I did have to do much research as this is a period film. When I was doing the dubbing, I dubbed it in a different voice which I thought would suit the role well. We worked on our diction and the mannerisms and also on the use of certain words which were used during those times. As far as my character is concerned, I relied on Pavel and also did research on old Kolkata to know about the people then and likewise portray it on the screen.

How much expectation do you have from the film Rosogolla?

Rajatava Dutta- It will not only be critically acclaimed but the film will also be appreciated by the general audience too. The way it has been made and the grandeur with which this period film has been shot, coupled with the cast’s great acting, Pavel’s direction and soothing music-all will make Rosogolla a big hit. I am positive that the film will be a landmark film.

We too hope that Rosogolla achieves much success. Wishing all the best to the team!!