Murder, suicide or accident? Natoker Moto revisits actress' death

The mysterious death of Keya Chakraborty , who dominated the Bengali stage of the '60s-'70s triggered several theories. That's what theatre veteran Debesh Chattopadhyay's debut directorial Natoker Moto delves into.
���I've not maligned anyone, why should I be worried?" he asks a day ahead of the film's release. At the heart of the film is Kheya, who blazes a trail on stage. ���Keya fell to her death while shooting for Swadesh Sarkar's Jibon Jerokom, where she was essaying the role of a blind mother.My film too begins with the death of Kheya. It's not a biopic, but a work of fiction.Through interactions with her associates, investigating officer Bhobodulal Roy tries to piece together facts about Kheya. Extensive research has gone into the film and though the end is open to interpretation, the movie does arrive at a conclusion. Now it's up to the audience on how they see the truth,��� says Debesh.
Movie Review: Natoker Moto
Paoli, excited about the role of a lifetime, says what comes to the fore through a series of interactions is a life less ordinary . ���Kheya might be the torchbearer of Bengali theatre, but she is also a woman of substance. She believes in a certain philosophy and doesn't mind pawning her jewels for the love of stage. Despite resistance from the homefront, she shows the courage to live life on her own terms. Kheya is also a hard core feminist, though the coinage was not in vogue in those days. The film tries to dig out facts without forcing it down the audience," says the actress.
Also See: Exclusive pictures from the premiere of Natoker Moto
Rajatava Dutta, who plays Bhobodulal, says what comes out of the investigation is no less baffling. ���There are several perspectives on Kheya's death as shared by the director. The film is neither black nor white and even the investigating officer is far from perfect. He is removed from the cultural revolution and tries to fathom truth by interacting with Kheya's director, producer, friend, mother... I find Kheya very similar to Neeta of Meghe Dhaka Tara. While she fights for her family , Kheya takes on the world for her love of theatre. The film is a throwback to the times when moral values had not started degenerating.Also, I had a great time shooting with Saswata Chatterjee, Bratya Basu, Sujan Mukherjee and the rest. Though its Debesh Chattopadhyay's first film, he has shown tremendous maturity in handling the subject. About a conclusive ending, I'm sure the audience will get it once the film draws to a close,��� he says.
Produced by Friends Communication and presented by Firdausal Hasan, Natoker Moto releases on August 21.