Importance of Being Earnest

Updated: May 9, 2018 12:10:18 am Riddhi Sen in Nagarkirtan

Riddhi Sen was recently awarded the National Award for Best Actor, but its not his Bengali film Nagarkirtan, that he is preoccupied with. “I havent been able to get Shoojit Sircars October out of my mind. I watched it with my parents, and once we came out of the theatre none of us said a word for two hours,” says Sen, over the phone from Mumbai, where hes currently shooting for Pradeep Sarkars next.

The 19-year-old won the prestigious honour for his role in Kaushik Gangulys Nagarkirtan, where he stars alongside Ritwick Chakraborty. The film is a love story between a flautist and a transgender. It tells us the boys struggle to come out as a woman, in society. Sen is glad that the award will put the transgender community in the spotlight.
Sens acting began young. He was four when he appeared in Prachcho, a play directed by his father, veteran actor Kaushik Sen. Based on the story by well-known Bangladeshi playwright Selim Al Deen, Sen had the role of the protagonist as a child.

In Nagarkirtan, Sen plays a transgender, a challenging role especially for an actor his age. “I read Lili Elbes Man Into Woman and watched The Danish Girl and Tootsie.” About preparing for the role, his father, says, “He would observe his mother, her gestures and everything. You can master the technique over time, but I dont know if you can be honest to your character until you fully embrace it from within.”

His 19-year-old is effusive. “Nagakirtanas screenplay should be sent to film schools”, he says. His enthusiasm increases in crescendos, “October should be Indias entry to the Oscars”; “Ritwick Chakraborty is Bengals Rajkummar Rao”.

While Sens debut was in Sujoy Ghoshs Kahaani (2012), his most significant role came in Anindya Chatterjees Open Tee Bioscope (2015). Produced by Sircar, the film chronicles the life of a teenage boy growing up in semi-urban Bengal.

Talking about an actor he would like to emulate, Sen says, “Rajkummar Rao for sure. Anyone at his stage in his career wouldnt agree to a role like Bareilly Ki Barfi. He plays the second lead and still walks away with the film. Youngsters like me want to follow our hearts and do the kind of roles we want to do, but hes the only one who is practically doing it.”

Sens next film Eela stars Kajol, and is produced by Ajay Devgn Films.

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