Jaya Bachchan back on Bangla screen

Jaya Bachchan is set to return to Bengali cinema as an alcoholic Anglo-Indian housekeeper ��������� possibly sharing screen space with Soumitra Chatterjee ��������� in a film to be directed by Jayabrato Chatterjee.
Bachchan, who had earlier shot Jayabrato���������s English film, ���������Lovesongs���������, discussed the movie with him when she was in Kolkata a few months ago. She took the script back with her to Mumbai.This month, Jayabrato heard from her that she had loved the story. The finances are now being worked out and if everything falls into place, shooting should begin by next March.
This film is set in the Kolkata of the ���������90s and tells the story of a Bengali star of the ���������60s and his Anglo-Indian housekeeper. The eccentric star lives in the past. He drives around in his old Cadillac and goes for walks to Victoria Memorial. Some people recognize him and want his autograph. That makes him happy. On a rainy day, his car knocks down a streetwalker. She hurls abuses at him, but he is shocked to find that she looks just like her daughter who had run away 10 years back. The film explores how things start changing within the house once she is brought home.
Jayabrato says, ���������Jayadi will play this housekeeper called Mrs D���������Sa. She is a dark character, an alcoholic who carries the baggage of her past. She can be compared with Mrs Denver in Rebecca. In recent years, Jayadi has usually got soft and motherly roles. In the past, she mostly played joyous, bubbly characters. A character like Mrs D���������Sa is not someone she���������s played before. I have told her that I have spoken about the movie to Soumitra Chatterjee. This part doesn���������t confirm to the stereotypical roles that Soumitrada has been offered in recent times. As a director, it is important to break away from clich������s. Jayadi is excited about the casting since she has never worked with Soumitrada in a Bengali movie. This could be a casting coup. Jayadi likes the idea of coming to Kolkata as she will be working with friends. The last Bengali movie she had shot here was Rituparno Ghosh���������s ���������Sunglass���������.��������� The movie is titled ���������Chander Thikana���������.
���������My daughter, Shahana, will play the streetwalker called Chand. I want to cast Arijit Dutta as the pimp. He can be made to look quite rough. Music for the movie will be scored by You and i duo Soumyojit and Sourendra. I���������ve spoken to Soumik Halder to do the cinematography. Sujoy Datta will edit the movie,��������� says the director.