Proud of our sensitive and committed youngsters who are are working tirelessly on the ground: Parambrata

Parambrata Chatterjee, who recently set up a Covid relief centre with colleagues Riddhi Sen, Anupam Roy and others, got into a candid mood with Cal Times, talking about the impact of the second wave on the industry, working with youngsters for his diverse projects and more. Excerpts:
How did you get started with the Covid Relief Centre?
Our parents witnessed the infamous flood in 1978, grandparents witnessed the Partition.Our generation was in a safe zone until now. And suddenly we were staring at an unprecedented humanitarian crisis. The impossible desperation of people gasping for oxygen haunted me. Soon as the second wave first started in the other states, we knew what could unfold in West Bengal, especially given the political gatherings. As the cries for help intensified on social media, I reached out to like-minded friends. We realised that unlike the first wave where we could afford to do things from a distance, this time, we had to be on the ground. Our primary intention was to offer some respite to the private and government medical facilities by running a small but systematic relief centre so that we could maximise our resources. It was not a small task, but thanks to my comrades, we made this happen.
What’s next?
We are planning to start two more centres. One near the existing one so that we can operate it as one unit and another one in north Kolkata, somewhere between Paikpara and Dum Dum Park.
A major talking point in our Covid fight has been the participation of youngsters. In Bengal especially, we have seen them powering civil society initiatives for months now. Many of them are working with you as well. How do you see this?
There has been a general perception that youngsters under the age of 25, the so-called 'selfie generation' are a detached and disconnected lot. While it may be true to some extent, they have also been misunderstood. I found them to be more sensitive, passionate and committed than us. Their integrity and readiness to reject regressive ideas is inspiring. The more I engage with them, the more proud I feel. It is wrong to judge them - they are aware, active and are working tirelessly on the ground.
Coming back to the reality of pandemic, Tollywood is in a ramshackle. Is there any sort of welfare system that might help the smaller clogs of the wheel? Are the Federation and Artists’ Forum doing enough?
Sometimes Federation (Federation of Cine Technicians & Workers of Eastern India) and I engage in internal debates on certain rules and structures. We share a professional relationship. And while I have a lot of grievances against them, they are, in fact, doing fairly good work for their members. The same applies for the Artists’ Forum (West Bengal Motion Picture Artists Forum) also. They are trying to offer care, food and money to their members. We get emails regularly. They seek help from the production houses also.
Do you think industry veterans are contributing enough in this pandemic situation?
In this situation, we have seen two types of work happening -- social media amplification and on-ground work. Both need rigour. It will be unfair to blame people for not being able to commit to that rigour. Maybe they are not in that mental zone.
How do you see the future of Bengali cinema? Halls are shutting down, shooting stalled and no production house wants to release films…
Even films like Sooryavanshi are stalled. Salman Khan released his film on the OTT platform. Bollywood’s only advantage is that they get reasonably fair prices from the major OTT platforms. We don’t have that luxury. Without a bit of theatrical release, we cannot recover the cost. So we will have to wait. After this second wave, I doubt if the audience will immediately be confident about going back to theatres even if they reopen in a month or so. Things will take time - maybe in another five to six months, things will be better. Ekhoni gelo gelo gelo korar kichhu hoyeni (We need not cry over how everything's all over). We have seen difficult times. There was a 100-day-long strike in ’70s. We will survive this also.
Your dream project Abhijaan is also stalled…
We are working hard to finish the film because there is a festival invite. We have completed the background score and the last phase of audio is happening.
Are you planning to release it in theatres?
People are talking about a digital release but I am planning for a theatrical release...
There is a perception that polarisation has impacted friendships, professional relationships in Tollywood. What is your take on it?
I think this polarisation that you speak of, happens when there is lack of political awareness. Today, I am proud of the resistance that our civil society has put forward. Many more songs, plays, poems are being written. I believe this political discourse will have its place in history. Some say ‘Politics politics er jaygay, bondhuttwo bondhutter jaygay’ (politics and friendship needn't mix). But my definition of friendship is different. While there will be no lacunae in my professionalism, I cannot be friends with someone who stands diametrically opposite to my political beliefs.