Upala KBR (MID-DAY; April 2, 2018)

Mid-Day had previously reported that Esha Deol Takhtani was set to return to Bollywood after seven years with the short film, Cakewalk. In the while that she was away from the limelight, Deol tied the knot, and subsequently gave birth to baby girl Radhya. However, the actor has now turned her focus to cinema, and currently wrapped up the Kolkata leg of Ram Kamal Mukherjee’s directorial debut.

Deol, who previously revealed that she was eager to film in the city of “Dakhineshwari Kali Ma”, was spotted across various locations in Kolkata, shooting with Mukherjee and co-director Abhra Chakraborty. Set to play a chef in the venture, the actor tells mid-day, “The film has primarily been shot in real locations because we wanted to make it look as authentic as possible. I love the literature and music that makes itself evident in every part of the city. I have read English adaptations of works of Bengali novelists Rabindranath Tagore and Sarat Chandra Chatterjee, which made this visit more exciting. Also, the people of this city love food, so, playing the role of a chef while filming here was a delight.”

A source from the unit tells mid-day, “Esha enjoyed rides in a yellow Ambassador taxi and auto rickshaw as part of the shoot at New Town in Kolkata on Saturday. Since she is dieting, she couldn’t sample the local cuisine. But she indulged in mishti doi. Interestingly, she wanted to taste the kulhar wali chai that’s famous in West Bengal. It is served in small clay pots called bhaars. A local tea stall owner recognised Esha and was happy to offer her ginger tea for free.”

Deol reveals that the vendor was, in fact, an admirer of her father, Dharmendra. “He mentioned that he was a fan of my father, who worked with many talented Bengali actors and directors. Offering tea to me was a sweet gesture. The city is full of life. The schedule was too tight to accommodate a visit to the Kali Temple, but Ram Kamal assured me that when I return for the show’s premiere, he will make arrangement for the darshan.”