Latest news with #Anirban
Time of India
29-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Anirban Calling Anirban: Gaan, golpo & some drama
Mixups are often the norm in the lives of Anirban and Anirban. Especially when they are cast together, as it happened in Mukhosh. The crew in such cases would refer to them as 'Dariye Anirban, boshe Anirban' or 'Samner Anirban, or pechhoner Anriban' Namesakes who share a passion for theatre, a commitment to culture and a penchant for creativity – Anirban and Anirban are two unique personalities shaping the contemporary Bengali entertainment space in their own ways. If Anirban Chakrabarti is at the peak of his commercial success, with Eken's latest cinematic outing clocking house-full shows, Anirban Bhattacharya's band Hooligaanism, and its ear-worm of a song Melar Gaan has been a hot favourite with both reelmakers and serious music lovers. On a rainy day at SKAI, we got the two multi-talented, multi-hyphenate, and now headlining artistes together for an exclusive adda. Glimpses. Both of you have that one thing in common, a solid grounding in theatre. How much of what you do today in the realm of acting, singing, directing, is influenced by your stage experience and the discipline that comes with it? Anirban Bhattacharya (AB): You could say it's entirely there. Because when I entered films, I didn't specifically learn anything for cinema. But I spent years doing theatre — many different kinds of productions. Today, whether it's cinema or music, I've realised one thing: you can't do anything alone. The strength of a community is very real. There's unity in it, but also individuality. That's why Anirban da and I are sitting here today. Which is cool, and fine. But when you want to create something new, or challenging, or different, it's possible only through a group movement. I try to follow this idea of community practice, community training. Everything I do or plan to do is rooted in that. And all of it comes from theatre. Anirban Chakrabarti (AC): I started theatre when I was in class four. I wasn't old enough to really understand the medium, I just knew I liked it. It became part of my daily routine, like studying, playing, or other activities. But it was also something that set me apart. My friends didn't do it, only I did. And that made it special. Later, in college, theatre became a passion. I took it seriously and started learning. When I first worked with you (gestures to Anirban B), you were doing theatre full-time. I was juggling it with a job. That was tough and it made me think: Maybe I should take theatre more seriously. Eventually, I quit my job. My learning came entirely from experience, trial and error. I think that's how most people learn. Now, when I look back at my journey as an actor, I see that it's rooted in theatre. Even on screen, what I bring to a role comes from what I've learned on stage. I just deliver it differently. The way I think about acting isn't the same as the way he (Anirban B) does. He has a different process. I don't separate cinema and theatre, I think about the character. And discipline, that's the word. Besides that, community and core values. Once you internalise those, the process becomes easier. And when you're in for rehearsals, leave your baggage outside. You've worked together on stage and on screen and have followed each other's creative journeys. What are your biggest takeaways from that collaboration and observation? AB: I'm a huge fan of Anirban da. When I first saw him on stage, I knew instantly—this man is a rule breaker in the truest sense. He has mastered everything, the legacy, the structure, the projection, the style—and then he breaks every rule and still makes it work with his naturalistic acting. His performances are intense, incredible, and leave a lasting impact. When it comes to cinema, the way he approaches characters - he makes himself irreplaceable. 'Maane kono character jodi Anirban da ke dewaa hoyeche, maane eita Anirban da kei manabe. You can't cast anyone else.' His acting is that distinctive. AC: I've seen Anirban from the very beginning of his career. When he first came on stage, there was already a buzz about a promising young actor. He was doing King Lear, Debi Sarpamasta, and a few other plays which I would make it a point to watch. I was astounded. Everything was there. His diction, singing, movement. Then I got to work with him. I like to observe and learn, and I saw how closely he worked with directors, asking the right questions, getting into the details. That made me think - he would make a good director. I even told him that once. He laughed it off at the time, saying he wouldn't go beyond theatre production. But within a few months, he was directing OTT series and films. Mandaar was fantastic. Ballabhpurer Roopkotha was wonderful. I hope to keep learning from him as an actor, and from him as a director, though I don't think I have it in me to direct. Anirbaner theke aami shikhte chaai! In recent times, several Bengali films and projects have done well. Eken has become a box-office sensation. On the other hand, Melar Gaan has gone viral. Do you think this reflects a positive turnaround among audiences who had stopped engaging with Bengali content, and is also attracting newer audiences? AC: If we had the formula, there would be no hits or flops! But yes, new ideas are being recognised. Eken didn't become popular overnight. Back in 2018, the way I treated the character is very different from how he is now. I made changes gradually, so I didn't alienate the audience. At first, I was an anonymous actor just doing what I was told. But over time, I started owning the character. At first, people liked it. Now, they love it. And yes, production plays a big role. If we don't use all the verticals to cater to the younger audience, especially on OTT, we're going to lose them. This generation is into Marvel movies. It is very difficult to impress them. But now I have pre-teens who come up to me and ask, 'Why doesn't Eken wear a cape? He's a superhero.' AB: Now is the right time to build a belief system. One where Eken, gaan, golpo, cinema, OTT across genres, all become a part of that system. A regional language, a regional culture, a community, cannot survive without this belief. We owe this to the next generation. Think about it: apart from speaking Bengali at home, how much is the language really used in daily life anymore? That's when you realise that we, as a people, are at a critical point. You have to make the audience your family. They are not just in Kolkata but also in Jalpaiguri, watching Adolescence. You cannot alienate anyone. You cannot fool them, or take them for granted. Respect them and believe in your own culture as well. Take Nandikar, for instance. Despite their stature and global performances even in 2007–08, their tickets were priced at `10. Anyone could watch their play. Anirban, you're known for creating big impact with very little. How do you manage tight budgets as an actor, director, and musician? AB: Production costs have gone up, but we're still using coconut oil cans to create special lighting effects! The economy hasn't gone anywhere. When you have no resources left, you rely on this (points to self). 'Accha, kichhu nei? Switch on your mobile, point it at me, aami obhinoy korchi…' I'm acting. As long as we have this (points to himself), we can keep creating, keep acting. AC: I would like to add something here. As an actor, I feel that budget is that one word which controls everything. I have a fair idea now of how things really work. As artistes, when we approach a project, a character, we plan things out in our head. We would like a certain kind of space to explore, to add some value to the role and the time to do a good job. But when things are hurried, and we are told that a shoot that should have taken a certain number of days has to be wrapped up quickly, all we can do is show up on the set and deliver. Shushtho bhabe kaj korte chaileo, aar kicchu kora jaay na. – With inputs by Poorna Banerjee Both of you have played a wide range of characters. From crowd-pleasing, absolute sunshine roles to the decidedly dark and grey ones. Which ones do you enjoy more? Anirban C in Shotyi Bole Shotyi Kichhu Nei AC: Definitely grey! I don't enjoy black-and-white characters because people aren't like that in real life. Ekta manush kokhonoi ekdom kharap ba ekdom bhalo hote parena. The problem is, sometimes characters are written too simply. I might want to explore the nuances of a role, but the script may not allow it. I enjoy characters where everything is not spoken or written down. It gives me a chance to explore, go deep and add my own touches to bring that character alive. And even if a handful of people notice that touch, it matters to me. I love sunshine characters. I also love grey. But not too dark. Because if I can't bring a touch of white into the dark, it doesn't feel real. I enjoy this discovery. Anirban B in Athhoi AB: Dark characters are tough, and they come with creative consequences. With Athoi, we envisioned a character that wasn't even human but more symbolic of our times. We had to make Shakespeare relevant to the present. That's how it works. But it became so intense, so dark that it was almost demonic. But I love grey characters, like Dracula Sir. Kintu ekta kotha, Anirban-da gets these wonderfully layered roles which no one does. I loved his work in Pradhan, Byadh. He has the advantage of having worked across genres and played fantastic characters with grey shades. 'I was worried about this scene. What if I looked funny instead of heroic?' The Masan Holi climax in The Eken: Benaras e Bibhishika was shot over two days. On Day One, we shot raw footage of the actual rituals, performed by real sadhus. Day Two was our shoot. There's the scene where I come out of the water. It was meant to look heroic—but I was unsure. Given my height, weight, structure, I was worried: Hashyokor lagbe na to? It was tricky because you usually blink or gasp when emerging from water. But I had to pop out, eyes wide open. It was close to sunset. The steps were slimy. I'm not water-phobic, but I do have hygiene issues. So there was some mental prep, and we did a few takes. Kore toh felelam, kirokom lagche janina! I usually don't ask to see the monitor, but I made an exception this time. Yes, we took some cinematic liberties—but it worked for the audience. But trust Eken to pour water on his own moment of glory with that now-famous punch line right afterwards. – With inputs by Poorna Banerjee Mixups are often the norm in the lives of Anirban and Anirban. Especially when they are cast together, as it happened in Mukhosh. The crew in such cases would refer to them as 'Dariye Anirban, boshe Anirban' or 'Samner Anirban, or pechhoner Anriban' Quotes: I don't like characters that are too white or too black. I enjoy complexity. Grey characters amar bhalo lage– Anirban Chakrabarti Ekhane as a director kichu korte gele, it's best if you don't try to learn too much. Especially if you want peace of mind– Anirban Bhattacharya Like in the South, we must build a culture of believers around our entertainment industry. If audiences stop believing in us, disown us, we will not survive. But if your film or song does not work and they say, 'Porer baar bhalo hobe,' it means they haven't given up on us– Anirban Bhattacharya Anirban da has an advantage. Because of how he looks, no one suspects him of being evil. Just a happy, smiling man. And when he suddenly turns into the bad guy, it comes as a surprise. But if I simply sit with my face away from the camera, doing nothing, people think I'm the shaitaan – Anirban Bhattacharya Melar Gaan is everywhere. People are making reels and having fun with it. And yet, it has such depth. Khubi gobhir ekta kotha bolchhe, jiboner kotha bolchhe. But even if someone enjoys it just on the surface, that's okay. Entertainment can be layered– Anirban Chakrabarti Bengali audiences abroad who are in their 40s, seek Bengali content. But their children may not feel the same way. We need entertaining & meaningful stories for them. Reach, but don't preach– Anirban Chakrabarti Location: SKAI Pics: Anindya Saha
India Gazette
04-06-2025
- Sport
- India Gazette
UTT Season 6: PBG Pune Jaguars beat Kolkata ThunderBlades 10-5; Dabang Delhi TTC get revenge over Dempo Goa Challengers in final rematch
Ahmedabad (Gujarat) [India], June 5 (ANI): PBG Pune Jaguars delivered a clinical, all-round performance to defeat Kolkata ThunderBlades 10-5, while Dabang Delhi TTC held their nerve in a blockbuster rematch of the 2024 final, edging past defending champions Dempo Goa Challengers 9-6 on Thursday. Staged under the aegis of the Table Tennis Federation of India (TTFI) and promoted by Niraj Bajaj and Vita Dani, Ultimate Table Tennis (UTT) continues to grow as a premier professional league. All 23 ties, over 16 action-packed days, will take place at Ahmedabad's EKA Arena, as per the UTT press release. In a pulsating clash between international heavyweights and UTT stalwarts, Alvaro Robles edged Quadri Aruna to give PBG Pune Jaguars the ideal start, clinching all three games on Golden Points for his first singles win of the season. Remarkably, it marked the first time this rare feat has occurred twice in the same UTT campaign. Dina Meshref then held her nerve in a tight 2-1 win over Adriana Diaz, sealing her maiden league victory before pairing with Anirban Ghosh to secure the mixed doubles 2-1, handing Pune early control of the tie. Kolkata ThunderBlades hit back through young star Ankur Bhattacharjee, who took down Anirban with sharp, crowd-pleasing play in the second men's singles. Crucially, though, Anirban snatched the final game to deny Ankur a full sweep--an important point that kept Pune ahead and denied Kolkata from leveling the tie. Reeth Rishya then closed the door on any hopes of a comeback, sweeping Selena Selvakumar 3-0 to seal the tie. Meshref was awarded the Foreign Player of the Tie, while Diaz claimed the Shot of the Tie. Reeth claimed the Indian Player of the Tie honour. In the day's first match, Harmeet Desai edged Sathiyan Gnanasekaran in a gripping three-game showdown between two of India's finest, but it wasn't enough as Dabang Delhi TTC sealed their second win of the season, this time over reigning champions Dempo Goa Challengers in a rematch of last year's final. Izaac Quek opened with a clinical 3-0 win over Tiago Apolonia for Delhi, while Zeng Jian hit back for Goa by sweeping Diya Chitale. Delhi regained the lead through Sathiyan and Maria Xiao's composed doubles win, but Harmeet's 2-1 victory over Sathiyan levelled things again. In the decider, Xiao rose to the occasion, dominating Sayali Wani 3-0 to clinch the tie. Harmeet was named Indian Player and Shot of the Tie winner, while Xiao claimed Foreign Player of the Tie honours. Earlier, at the Dream UTT Juniors--a joint initiative by UTT and Dream Sports Foundation--U Mumba TT cruised to a 7-2 win over Ahmedabad SG Pipers, with Prateek Tulsani and Ananya Muralidharan starring in both singles and doubles. In a tighter contest, Jaipur Patriots edged Stanley's Chennai Lions 5-4, thanks to a dominant opening by Trishal Surapureddy and a crucial doubles point alongside Shreya Dhar. Final Scores Match 1 Dabang Delhi TTC 9-6 Dempo Goa Challengers Izaac Quek bt. Tiago Apolonia 3-0 (11-8, 11-9, 11-9)Diya Chitale lost to Zeng Jian 0-3 (9-11, 5-11, 6-11)Sathiyan Gnanasekaran/Maria Xiao bt. Harmeet Desai/Zeng Jian 2-1 (8-11, 11-5, 11-8)Sathiyan Gnanasekaran lost to Harmeet Desai 1-2 (11-8, 9-11, 9-11)Maria Xiao bt. Sayali Wani 3-0 (11-3, 11-7, 11-6) Match 2 PBG Pune Jaguars 10-5 Kolkata ThunderBlades Alvaro Robles bt. Quadri Aruna 2-1 (10-11, 11-10, 11-10)Dina Meshref bt. Adriana Diaz 2-1 (11-8, 1-11, 11-10)Anirban Ghosh/Dina Meshref bt. Ankur Bhattacharjee/Adriana Diaz 2-1 (11-9, 11-9, 7-11)Anirban Ghosh lost to Ankur Bhattacharjee 1-2 (8-11, 7-11, 11-8)Reeth Rishya bt. Selena Selvakumar 3-0 (11-9, 11-8, 11-8). (ANI)
The Hindu
01-06-2025
- Sport
- The Hindu
Jaguars ride high on Reeth and Anirban's exploits
The Maharashtra derby lived up to its billing and offered the Ultimate Table Tennis Season 6 its first nail-biter as PBG Pune Jaguars — a rebranded team — stunned the fancied U Mumba TT to mark a sensational debut on Sunday. Despite captain Alvaro Robles underperforming in the opening singles tie against an on-song Lilian Bardet, Dena Meshref kept the Jaguars in the hunt by stretching Bernadette Szocs. The Indian duo of Anirban Ghosh and T. Reeth Rishya then punched above their weight in the last two singles outings to spark off celebrations in the Jaguars camp. Anirban's first IndianOil UTT win, right when it mattered most for PBG Pune Jaguars 🔥 📺 Watch IndianOil UTT Season 6 live on JioHotstar and the Star Sports network. 🔗 # — Ultimate Table Tennis (@UltTableTennis) June 1, 2025 Ghosh — despite wasting four match points in the second game — won the decider against Akash Pal to stretch the tie into the deciding match, with the teams locked at six games apiece. Reeth then used all her experience to make it a forgettable UTT debut for Swastika Ghosh by maintaining a clean slate. Reeth's forehand reverse-pendulum serve — with side-spin and top-spin variations — left Swastika flummoxed. Reeth won service points at 9-9 in the first game and on the golden point of the second to seal the tie for the Pune outfit. Golden point clutch by PBG Pune Jaguars to keep the tie alive ✨ 📺 Watch IndianOil UTT Season 6 live on JioHotstar and the Star Sports network. 🔗 — Ultimate Table Tennis (@UltTableTennis) June 1, 2025 Earlier in the evening, U Mumba kept itself afloat with stunning comebacks. Szocs saved three match points in the second game before edging past left-handed Dina in the second game. Akash then started a stunning comeback against Anirban, thanks to a stunning forehand down-the-line block at 6-10 that started a five-point streak. The point of the day was played in the first match. At 8-3 in the second game, Bardet won an 18-shot rally against Robles to start off a series of surprising results. Who needs cardio when you've got rallies like this? 😅 📺 Watch IndianOil UTT Season 6 live on JioHotstar and the Star Sports network. 🔗 — Ultimate Table Tennis (@UltTableTennis) June 1, 2025 The result: U Mumba TT lost to PBG Pune Jaguars 6-9 (Lilian Bardet bt Alvaro Robles 11-1, 11-4, 8-11; Bernadette Szocs bt Dina Meshref 5-11, 11-10, 11-9; Szocs & Akash Pal lost to Dina & Anirban Ghosh 11-7, 7-11, 10-11; Akash lost to Anirban 6-11, 11-10, 8-11; Swastika Ghosh lost to T. Reeth Rishya 9-11, 10-11, 6-11). Monday's fixtures: Stanley's Chennai Lions vs Kolkata ThunderBlades (5 pm); U Mumba TT vs Ahmedabad SG Pipers (7.30 pm).
Hindustan Times
01-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Hindustan Times
Anirban Bhattacharya opens up on Hoichoi series Bhog: ‘It was an incredible offer as an actor'
Actor Anirban Bhattacharya gives a chilling turn in the new psychological horror series Bhog, which releases on Hoichoi on May 1. The story, which is an adaptation of a short story written by Avik Sarkar, revolves around a Calcutta-based man who descends into a strange obsession of worshipping an antique deity. His gradual descent into this obsession knows no bounds. Ahead of the release of Bhog, Hindustan Times caught up with the actor for an exclusive chat in Bengali about the show, his approach to the part, and working with Parambrata Chattopadhyay a director for the first time. (Excerpts translated from Bengali) 'When I was told that I was being considered for this particular character, I heard the audio version of the story, the one that was done by Sunday Suspense,' he says when asked about whether he knew the story from before. 'It was done so well. I knew I was being considered for Atin at that time as well. I loved the story. It was so interesting and so well-known by the readers and listeners. Right after this, I headed to the director's place to ask him more. I wanted to know what he wanted out of the story, what he wanted to see through this, and how he was thinking of approaching this particular material. The process started from that standpoint.' In Bhog, Atin's character goes through a transition, where he loses sense of everything around him in his worship of the deity. Anirban is not quite sure he knows how to talk about his approach to the part, and admits, 'That's my job. The transformation that Atin goes through, how that is visible to the camera. I am eager to see how that comes alive on screen when Bhog releases. As an actor, I have given my best to give Atin that arc, now it is up to the viewers to see how it is received.' He goes on to add, 'Atin's life becomes monolithic, all of him is into worshipping this deity. He becomes this blank person when seen from the outside. That was something quite difficult to express as an actor. Param da had very good guidance for me to tackle that, and the writing itself was so inherently strong… which was of great help.' Unlike Atin, Anirban does not have any such obsession when it comes to being an actor. He calmly states how he looks at this idea, 'Atin goes from possession to obsession, and what I believe in as an actor does not matter at all. As an actor, I am always trying to feed into what the character believes in and make it my own. That is my job. I want to equate the emotional memory of Atin in this case, with my own. That is something of an internal process. But what I believe in does not matter here. The character's belief is of utmost importance to me.' Anirban has worked with Parambrata Chattopadhyay as a co-actor before, but this is the first time that he is being directed by him. What is the change? How is Parambrata as a director? Anirban instantly replies, 'Fantastic. Very sorted, extremely disciplined. He is a treat to work with as an actor. He makes the set so comfortable, so when an actor tries to do some sort of improvisation… speaking from my own experience, if I try to see the character a little differently than what he has perceived, he considers that with a lot of time and care. He enables that discussion, acknowledges it and then arrives at a decision. This artistic comfort is so extremely important. There is a certain sense of dignity, in the collaboration between an actor and a director, with the crew and technicians… that is in abundance in Param da's set. It is one of the finest set in our industry.' There is a certain reserve in him when he talks about his process as an actor, but he admits that he always tries to take on parts that surprise him first. Perhaps then, it will surprise the audience too. 'I have always wanted that with my career as an actor. With the parts I have taken on as an actor over the years, like a Bullet Singh in Bibaho Obhijaan, or a Khokha in Dwitiyo Purush, Nikhilesh in Ghawre Bairey Aaj… and so many more, I have always wanted to do different parts with these characters. In that sense, Bhog was an incredible offer as an actor,' he says. What is his process like? Is he able to disconnect after the shoot gets over, or have there been instances when a character took time to let go? Anirban pauses for a while. He then adds, 'It does happen with some parts. The strain becomes physical sometimes. Sometimes it is more of a mental impact. Sometimes it is a sudden sense of grief. But that is okay, and as a professional and work under a lot of constraints. It has become a part of the livelihood now, I feel. That we take on a part, and we are also able to snap out of it. I won't endorse it as a switch-on, switch-off effect, but after a while, one is prepared.' He concludes with a pragmatic, implicit smile, 'I feel that the context here is different. The stories we hear- of Hollywood and European films, and the dry method that the actors use to get into a role and the time that one is allowed to take. We are not working from the same privileged setup. We work as labourers. We know this shot is today when we reach the set in the morning, that these are the 7 scenes… that is how we work!' Bhog premieres on Hoichoi on May 1.
