My enemies are those who view me as a threat: Arindam Sil

He���s just three-film-old and yet, has managed to turn heads with his engaging thrillers. His versions of Byomkesh Bakshi and Shabor have received rave reviews. And despite having his hands full with two top Bengali sleuths, Arindam Sil says he���s game for a Feluda franchise! The director got candid with CT about his films, his approach to filmmaking and politics, and why he doesn���t give two hoots about what his detractors in the industry say about him.Excerpts:
There���s a saying about you: Industry te director hishebe Arindam Sil ure eshe jure boshlo. So how do you react to it?
I know who says such things. My work is my answer to such loving statements from my friends in the industry. I���m a humble person, so people tend to take me for granted. They think they can say anything. But their primary concern is my growing popularity as a director. I���m just three films old and all of them have been appreciated by the audience and did good business. They just can���t digest that.
It���s said that you can only make thrillers���
Yes, I am a thriller master. I���ve made films like Shabor and Byomkesh. But Aborto, my first film, was not a thriller. My producer and the audience wanted me to direct back-to-back thrillers. But what���s the problem if I make only thrillers? Some people have already watched Eagoler Chokh and said I���ve nailed it.
You���re quite a social person. When do you do your homework?
There���s a saying, don���t judge a book by its cover. There are people who tell me at parties that I don���t look like a serious director though I make good films. But tell me, do I have to look serious to make good films? I���m social, but inside, I���m very disciplined. It took me years to come into direction, as all these years, I was preparing myself. I have OCD and that helps me work well. Ask anyone from my team and they will tell you how everything on my sets is always in place, including the lunch menu. I only take on a job when I know I can do it. I work late and wake up early, so I get a lot of time. Moreover, my team is my greatest support and I acknowledge that in my film credits, which goes like: A film by Arindam Sil and team.
In politics, there���s no permanent friend or foe. It seems the same applies to Tollywood. At one point of time, Shrikant Mohta and you were not on good terms, but now you two seem to be the best of friends���
I���m always ready to rectify my mistakes. I agree that at one point, I had different views about Shree Venkatesh Films and used to think Shrikant was extremely professional. But today, I have no qualms in admitting my mistake. He is my new friend with whom I can share my deepest secrets. But at the same time I don���t do things that others (read, directors) do to please him. I get my assignments because I have proved myself. I know many flop directors, who charge more than me from SVF, can���t tolerate the fact that I���m making one film after another with the house. But I���m giving hits at a budget half theirs.
Are you aware people call you Palti Sil because of you changed your affinity from the Left to TMC?
(Laughs) Don���t you think the Leftists are the most paltibaj? They joined hands with Congress, which was their biggest opposition at one point of time! I used to think Leftists were the best choice, but slowly, I realised they had failed to live up to their expectations. I had a completely different notion about Mamata Banerjee, but after knowing her, I realised she���s a different person altogether. Now, I���m completely sold to her! Actually, one can���t survive in the industry for long solely by a dint of sycophancy. I���ve been here for the past 28 years, so there must be something in me that helped me survive and grow. People have problems with my growth. That���s why so many adjectives are attached to my name.
Who are our enemies?
Those who view me as a threat or competition. But I don���t want to name them. I���m in a phase where I work 18 hours a day but still feel relaxed because I have a really supportive family in Shukla and Sonika. They mean the world to me.
Do you still fall in Iove?
I fall in love with my frames and the characters. But tell me, in today���s world, do people actually fall in love? I doubt it. People now are so materialistic that checking one���s bank balance has become mandatory before falling in love. In Eagoler Chokh, I���ve dealt with infidelity in relationships. Through the whodunit I have shown relationship issues. I feel today the purity of a relationship is dying and so, my next film after Byomkesh will be based on Shirshendu Mukhopadhyay���s novel Madam O Mahashoy. It���s said that it���s always lonely at the top. I feel that now. People I considered my friends are now showing their true colours. But still, there are people like June and Bickram Ghosh, who will never cease to be my friends.
What do you have to say about the hypocrisy of industry people on Twitter?
It���s a complete farce.
Does healthy competition exist in Tollywood?
I feel there���s enough work for all, but still, people fight over it. People praise on the face, but stab you in the back the moment your turn around. But I���m grateful to Kaushik Ganguly and a journalist friend because they were the ones who asked Shrikant to produce my film. Moreover, I always show my first cut trailer to Kamaleswar Mukherjee, as he gives genuinely good suggestions. So, there are well-wishers around too.
Are you planning your next Shabor?
I���ll surely continue to make Shabor films. I have the rights to Projapotir Mrityu O Punor Jonmo, but Shirshenduda is writing a new Shabor and I���ll wait for that before I plan my next.
We heard that after Saswata Chatterjee, Kaushik Sen will play the next Shabor?
(After a pregnant pause) That���s news to me. I only know he is part of my next Byomkesh and Madam O Mahashoy. Apu (Saswata) is by far my best Shabor. As far as acting is concerned, he���s brilliant. I had issues about his fitness, but he overcame it with his acting and I respect that.
Heard that there���s lot of eroticism in Eagoler Chokh?
I���ve dealt with sexuality, abuse and psychology in my film, so it���s known that eroticism will be part of it. But I have my way of show sexuality on screen, as I can���t compromise on aesthetics. The child abuse, which is shown in the film, is part of my own childhood experiences. The first sexual fantasies of Bengali men revolve around boudis and I, too, fell prey to it. It was not a very happy incident. So, my past experiences helped me direct this film.
You are always praising Jaya and Abir���
I respect Jaya as an actress and want to continue working with her. She always has a thing playing on her mind ��� how people in Bangladesh will react to her films here. But when a scene demands less inhibition, she just goes for it. By inhibition, I mean the mental approach as an actor. Paayel Sarkar, too, is orthodox by nature, but when I explained her character and what it demands, she just went with the flow. As for Abir, he is one actor who is really shaping up well. He knows his strengths and weaknesses well and works accordingly. He is otherwise a difficult actor to deal with, but once you���ve made message clear, he surrenders to you as an actor. He���s my brother and not Byomkesh. Of course, I had to earn his respect by proving that I can make Byomkesh look larger than life on screen.
You said directors who had cast Anirban Bhattacharya before Eagoler Chokh failed to tap his talent���
I did, and I take pride in launching him. Anirban is the real surprise in this film and will be the most sought after actor in years to come. I can vouch for it.
What is your take on Anjan Dutt���s Byomkesh?
I didn���t like any of them. Jisshu is a director���s actor and he did exactly what he was asked to do as Byomkesh. But I don���t believe in Anjan Dutt���s kind of Byomkesh.
You are the only director to handle two franchises at the same time ��� Shabor and Byomkesh���
Perhaps I can handle more. Who knows? I���m here to prove myself to my producers, actors and audience. I know I can direct quality films and I���m confident that I will not make a mess of it. But I admit I don���t make films as good as Srijit Mukherji.
Heard you want to direct Feluda too?
Why not (smiles)? I want Srijit to direct one Feluda and see how he portrays the sleuth on screen.
Has the actor Arindam Sil taken a backseat?
I���m always game for meaty roles, but where are they? Moreover, my films keep me busy these days. But if anything interesting comes up in terms of acting, I���m game.
Shall we see you making a south remake?
Never! Bury me alive before that. Audiences have turned down remakes totally, but only producers can say why those are still being made.
Do you think Arindam has arrived as a director? There still are actors who don���t name you while listing the directors the want to work with. It���s always Aparna Sen, Goutam Ghose, Srijit Mukherji, Shiboprosad Mukherjee and Nandita Roy, to name a few���Vidya Balan said in her interview that she follows three directors in Kolkata ��� Srijit, Kaushik and me! What more can I ask for? There are many who want to work with me. Those who don���t take my name must have their own logic. I constantly try to improve myself, but only the audience can tell whether I have arrived as a director or not.