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'I am curious to know what the people of my country have to say about Last Lear'


Tell us about The Last Lear, releasing this week.
I had studied Shakespeare in school and college. I have also done plays based on his works. Before coming to Mumbai, I stayed in Kolkata and Delhi. I did plays there as well, based on what he had written.

Rituparnoda came to me with a proposal. We were looking forward to work with each other for a long time. When he approached me with this film, I accepted it.

You play an actor for the first time in your film career.

We don't choose our characters deliberately. It's in the hands of people, who write films and we work accordingly. I had played an actor in Hrishikesh Mukherjee's Golmaal but that was a very minor role, where I played myself.

The Last Lear has already made rounds of a few prestigious international film festivals, where it received much applause.

I don't see things from such a perspective. I only think about my work and whatever good story comes to us, we act in them. Now the film has been made and is on the verge of release and it was great working in this film. But of course, whenever we make a film and serve it to the audience, we are always very excited and curious to know that what they think about it.

Yes, The Last Lear was the talking point and people discussed about this film at the film festivals where it was screened. I am curious to know what the people of my country have to say about this film.

'Unforgettable was a successful tour'


The film is based on a short play by late actor Utpal Dutt. Tell us about your association with Utpalda.
He was a wonderful human being and a wonderful actor. I gave commentary for his film Bhuvan Shome and acted with him in my first film Saat Hindustani. Later, when he became part of the Mumbai film industry, I had the good fortune of working with him in several other films.

Unfortunately, he is no more with us. But the legacy he has left behind in the form of his work and writing will always be with us.

The Last Lear is your first film in English.

This film was designed to be in English since Day One so it was natural that we were to speak our dialogues in English. When Rituda was asked about this, he informed us that the character is associated with Shakespeare and so he will converse in English only. It was a film designed to be in English.

Tell us about your Unforgettable tour.

It was a wonderful experience. We travelled to so many cities, and countries. The love and warmth, which we received from people there, was amazing. I could not believe that people love us so much. It was a successful tour. We are very happy with the response.