Exclusive! Arjun Chakrabarty on starting Anurager Chhowa: Serials entail long hours and massive popularity

Arjun Chakrabarty entered the world of entertainment with the famous Gaaner Oparey in 2010. Ever since, he has been seen in multiple hits on TV, films, and OTT platforms. Now the actor is all set to get back on TV with SVF’s Anurager Chhowa. 

Also read: Shaheb Bhattacherjee to join TV, Arjun Chakraborty makes a comeback too 

By his admission, Arjun does not watch television serials. “Not just Anurager Chhowa or any other Bengali serial, I don’t watch anything. I am not a watcher. I miss out on films and OTT shows. Forget binge-watching, I did not even watch the David Beckham documentary. I am a football fan,” said the actor. 

Now that Arjun is working on TV, his work will get stretched. Is he ready for that? “Serial means it is 10-12 hours a day and six days a week. It is going to be like that for a while., I will have to wait for late call times and early pack-ups,” he said. 

However, Arjun is well aware that television serial gives a far broader reach than many of the films and web series. “This is my third serial. When I started working on Guptodhoner Sandhane, I was doing Jamai Raja. I remember while shooting in Bolpur, local people used to call me by my Jamai Raja name. Serials do that to you. They make your character known to people. Not many films can give you this. However, after the Goptodhon franchise, a lot of people call me Abir. 

Also read: Exclusive! Srijit Mukherji on X=Prem: Arjun Chakrabarty is one of the most promising stars in the industry right now 

Bengali serials are commonly criticised as regressive and patriarchal. Arjun is well aware of that fact. “I know my urban fans will not watch serials. Indeed, serials do not often give you much scope creatively. However, I, as an actor, would love to explore all the channels,” he said. Arjun will soon be seen in the second season of Hoichoi’s web series, Rajniti.