Autowali Tumpa and her swag have managed to cast a spell on the Bengali television audience. The daily soap, starring Dona Bhowmik and Sayan Bose as the main lead, has completed 100 episodes on Bengali television.
It isn’t easy to get under the skin of a reel character. Bringing life to a reel character requires a lot of hard work, passion, and dedication. Standing in front of the camera and delivering dialogues are just the final product of what the audiences see on-screen. But in reality, an artist has to deal with a lot of dilemmas and apprehensions prior to becoming the character he/she is about to play. Actress Dona Bhowmik, whose swag as Tumpa Autowali has managed to woo the audience, shared a similar story with ETimes TV as her show ‘Tumpa Autowali’ completes 100 episodes.
“When I heard the story, I thought it would be a very tough journey for me. Tumpa’s character is really challenging. I wasn’t sure whether I would be able to play the role or whether the audience would accept me as Tumpa… Tumpa Autowali,” shares Dona.
Cherishing a non-living object and developing a bond with it, in real-life is something almost all of us have experienced. But for an actor, developing a bond with mere a ‘prop’ isn’t easy, especially when it plays a vital role in the story. And that’s what happened with Dona too. “The auto-rickshaw is the hero or you can say heroine in Tumpa’s life. But the question was how comfortable I would be with the vehicle which plays the hero’s role in Tumpa’s life. To be honest, I never drove any vehicle. I learned it during the shoot too in three days. I was really nervous on the first day of shooting. When I came out of the vanity van after my make-up was finished, I had tears in my eyes. Initially, my concentration was affected because I had to drive the auto-rickshaw and deliver dialogues at the same time. It was really tough. The question that haunted me was 'How can I win the audiences' hearts if I am not comfortable driving the auto and delivering the dialogue'," Dona got nostalgic while sharing.
But as time passed, the actress eventually started feeling more comfortable. “As the days passed, I became more comfortable. I fell in love with Tumpa’s character. Dona and Tumpa are almost 90% similar. So it didn’t take much time to fall in love with Tumpa. But what’s more special is that I fell in love with the vehicle too,” she adds.
Slowly, Tumpa aka Dona developed an emotional attachment with her auto rickshaw. The actress took a walk down memory lane and shared, “The was a particular sequence, when Tumpa was getting married and she had to leave her auto rickshaw at her parents’ place. Flashbacks were shown on-screen, narrating the bond she shares with the auto. I was literally flooded with memories associated with the vehicle. My heart was aching, when I was caressing the auto rickshaw.”
The show has now completed 100 episodes and the team is enjoying a celebratory mood.
“I couldn’t realise how we completed 100 episodes already. I remember the first day, when I was nervous to drive the auto and now, I am taking it to different places. On the other hand, my co-stars have become a part of my life. I didn’t know them a few months back. Today, I can’t imagine a single day without them. It has been a great journey,” says Dona.
The cast and crew enjoyed their achievement on the shooting set. Speaking about that, Dona says, “We all were in a joyous mood yesterday as we completed 100 episodes. Our director played the title song before the shooting and we all automatically started tapping our feet. Later, after the pack up, we enjoyed a cake cutting too.”
Dona also thanked her team and the audience for the achievement. She says, “I am really thankful to the team for all the help. Without them, I couldn’t have become Tumpa. Moreover, the love and support viewers shower on us is magical. I am humbled.”
Start a Conversation
Post comment