Exclusive! Usashi Ray talks Sundarbaner Vidyasagar, co-star Riddhi Sen and her reptile phobia

Sundarbaner Vidyasagar is a social drama soaked in various contrasts of humor and occasional social statements which narrates the tale of a loveable nerd Kinkor (Riddhi Sen), who scores below par in his final exams and somehow lands in Kumirkhali, a strange village of widows.

Kinkor strikes up a strange friendship with Parboti, a young widow played by Ushasi and together they face the perpetrators of the society.

Ushasi Ray, who plays Parboti, recently caught up with OTTplay to talk about the whole process of creating the inner world of her character and more.

Excerpts below:

First, tell us about your character and the process of creating Parboti.

When I was approached with the role of Parboti, I said yes instantaneously because it’s a very powerful character and she has multiple shades. As a performer, I love taking up new challenges and Parboti definitely sounded like one that people would remember for a long time. She’s dynamic, inspiring, and somehow a staunch supporter of the idea of individuality. She’s very focused on her goals and brave enough to question the accepted norms of common parlance. In today’s time when we are surrounded by a web of society that is ready to corner us, people often end up in self-doubt.
But, Parboti refuses to accept or bow down without fighting. That’s where she actually stands out and creates an aura, an image that stays back even after the show is over. She’s a young widow who’s made to stay with others in an isolated environment yet she never misses a chance to fight back.

Did you go through any special preparation or process to get inside the skin of Parboti?

Before answering your question, I would like to share a rather strange thing about the process of my preparation. I have been doing theatre since I was a kid. And if I can remember correctly, I thoroughly prepared myself before a performance. Rehearsals helped me a lot but whenever I appeared for the final showdown I somehow behaved spontaneously. I always felt a beautiful synergy with the ambience, the stage and everything worked out perfectly each time. I definitely stayed within my character but the process became my Mantra. And whenever I attempted to stay with my homework, things never went my way. So, while doing Parboti I discussed and exchanged my opinion with the director and writer. They helped me a great deal in understanding her. Apart from them my co-actors, the unit members, and the entire directorial team helped me throughout the process.

You mean to say you’re not Dravid but more like Rohit Sharma?

(Laughs) Yes, definitely I’m more of a pinch hitter. I love to stay in the moment. Acting is more like behaving in a natural, unbiased manner and I try to do that. Everybody is different and that’s the beauty of this world. We all have our own stories, our own universe, our situations and we all behave differently. And there were moments when I actually started to believe that I’m Parboti, not the other way round. She stayed with me for a long time and I helped her in my own way to share her story.

What was the shooting schedule like?

We had two schedules; one for Kolkata and the other one was for Sundarbans. And I would like to add another interesting piece of information that I kind of worship Smita Patil and we share the same birthdays. And Sundarbans reminded me of her because there’s a movie called Paar which was released in 1984 and it was about driving a herd of pigs through a river. It was a brilliant movie and we were working near the mangroves and river. So, subconsciously I was drawing a great deal of inspiration from her.

Thank you for sharing that. Tell us about your experience of working with Riddhi. Was there any pressure in your mind that you’re going to perform with a National Award-winning actor?

There was absolutely no pressure. We have known each other since we were kids and we performed together in a theatre group called Swopno Sondhani. The play was called Valo Rakkhos and Riddhi played the title role. It’s been ages now but when we started working together on this show, I felt like nothing’s changed. He’s a great performer and moreover, he’s such an adorable person. I genuinely felt so good after so many years while working on Sundarbaner Vidyasagar. It was an extremely good experience. I never felt that I was working with a star. He made me feel so comfortable as if I was working with my old buddy. And I would like to add that the whole unit worked like a team. It was a very hectic schedule but everyone delivered their best to make the show successful.

Sundarbans is a mangrove area in the delta of the Bay of Bengal formed by the confluence of 3 major rivers and as we all know it’s infested with crocodiles, Royal Bengal tigers and many other dangerous animals and reptiles. Did you encounter anything dangerous during your shooting schedule?

Nothing of that sort happened but I would like to mention that I have a huge phobia about any and every kind of reptile. But it was shot during winters and I was relaxed knowing that they are probably hibernating. However, I was alert during the whole schedule. Reptiles are good and they play a vital role in our ecosystem but a little distance would help me keep the mutual respect intact (laughs).

So, hypothetically speaking if you are offered to play a role of a snake charmer and that too from a big production house or a very eminent director, you’re going to refuse it?

Undoubtedly yes because if anything crawls, hisses or wraps around my neck I’m going to lose my consciousness. How can I deliver my lines if I’m screaming (laughs)? I would politely ask my hypothetical Producer or Director to offer me something which won’t bite me, chase me or swallow me alive. I guess that’s a quite simple and modest thing to ask for. I would love to work with an Elephant or a dog.

Lastly, share your opinion about the USP of Sundarbaner Vidyasagar. Why do you think it’s a unique show?

I would first like to mention our writer Arkadeep Nath who shaped the characters so beautifully and with such elegance. The audience will witness an intense struggle for independence yet there’s a layer of humour that will constantly keep you hooked. Irony plays a great part throughout the whole narrative and the captivating visuals set the tone. Our director Korko Murmu translated the script into a gracious reality and it’s absolutely going to be a treat for your senses.

We enjoyed making it and the audience is going to love it for its performances, and originality. Please watch Sundarbaner Vidyasagar on Hoichoi. Mark the date it’s coming to your screen on 11th March.