Having been part of the entertainment industry for almost two decades now, actor-director Tannishtha Chatterjee has dabbled in various genres and platforms.

Her latest web release, Lihaaf, an adaptation of Ismat Chughtai’s controversial story from 1942, which alludes to a same sex relationship between two women, has already won 11 awards at film festivals.

Elaborating on the relevance of the story even after all these years, Chatterjee says, “We are going in cycles. There was a time when artistes were getting more freedom and pushing boundaries. Now, more than the government, we are censoring ourselves.”

Chatterjee, 40, pins the backlash Chughtai’s story received in 1942 on society’s struggle with acceptance but feels that representation of LGBTQ characters have ‘definitely increased’ in films lately. “With creators, producers, platforms and makers, there’s a silent mandate to be inclusive and include all genders and LGBTQ characters. The more we weave them in as characters of a story, the more normal it will become with society,” she notes.

Her unreleased directorial debut Roam Rome Mein, got positive reviews from international critics and even won her Asian Filmmaker Of The Year at Busan International Film Festival, 2019. Indeed, there was a phase when she was really nervous about the project. She recalls being warned by her casting director when two stern Italian critics turned up to watch the film at the Rome International Film Festival. “She told me that I shouldn’t feel bad if they ripped my film apart. And I thought, they will write in Italian so not many will get to know. But they actually understood my film and I felt really happy and elated,” she signs off.

Actor-director Tannishtha Chatterjee; adds that she wouldn’t like to play “second fiddle” to men
Titas Chowdhury (HINDUSTAN TIMES; December 8, 2019)

With films like Parched (2015), Angry Indian Goddesses (2015) and Lihaaf to her credit, actor-director Tannishtha Chatterjee has carved a niche for herself. She says that though she’s fascinated with playing the quintessential Hindi film heroine, there aren’t enough meaty roles for women in mainstream Hindi films. “I love Alia (Bhatt) and Vidya (Balan)’s work. They’ve done such meaningful roles. Those are the parts that I want to play. But what would I do in a regular Bollywood film where the woman really doesn’t have anything to do?” she asks.

However, she says that there has been a paradigm shift in the world of Hindi cinema over the past few years. “Things are changing now. I’m a trained actor, and I always wanted to do things where I could contribute. There are many actors today who’ve had the opportunities to play fabulous parts in mainstream films as well. Padmaavat (2018) is Deepika’s (Padukone) film. I look forward to stories where women are given roles that are central to the plot and they aren’t second fiddle to the male protagonist,” says the Brick Lane (2007) actor.

What makes Tannishtha happy is “a major gender evolution” that is taking place in our society which is being reflected in the film industry. She elaborates, “Within the film industry, there are a lot of women directors and writers who are coming up and are able to break free and express themselves. The perspective in the way stories are told is different when it’s told by women. For centuries, we’ve appreciated art, storytelling, poetry and music from a male’s point of view. Women performers, writers, painters and creators have been schooled in the male perspective.”

This is why the Gulaab Gang (2014) actor has decided to take the director’s baton in her hands and has helmed a “feminist film” like Roam Rome Mein. She says, “The film, much like art, came out of my personal expression. A story like this isn’t the need of the hour; it has been the need of many centuries. If I go to an art or a film school, I’ll study by the rule book that’s set by great male artistes over centuries. With Roam Rome Mein, I’ve tried to do break the rules set by patriarchy.”

Renuka Vyavahare (BOMBAY TIMES; November 27, 2019)

One of Bollywood’s finest actors, Nawazuddin Siddiqui’s work has been getting global acclaim for a while now. In fact, he was felicitated at various international film festivals recently. In a chat with BT from New York, Nawaz spoke about crossing borders, overcoming language barriers and what he thinks he needs to work on at this stage of his career. Read on...

You were conferred the prestigious Lesley Ho Asian Film Talent Award at the Singapore International Film Festival recently, for your contribution to International cinema (for International Emmy-nominated original series Sacred Games).You were also honoured with the Golden Dragon Award at the Cardiff International Film Festival for excellence in cinema in the international market. And your British show McMafia won the Best Drama Series at International Emmys. Are you now aware of how popular your work is globally?
People abroad have seen my films, but the mass connect and reach of Sacred Games was perhaps higher. Unko Ganesh Gaitonde ka kirdar mazedaar laga. Initially, I wasn’t aware of the reach it had globally. Dheere dheere mujhe pata chala that people have seen it across the world and they have liked my character. Even Paulo Coelho wrote to me about it. Being appreciated by him was most special to me. I admire his writing a lot. I remember when we shot the show’s second season in Nairobi, there was a lot of frenzy around it. Even when I shot for Roam Rome Mein in Italy, people would come to me and talk about that show. It feels good to know that people from other countries are also appreciating my work. Sacred Games was nominated and my British gangster series McMafia won the Best Drama Series at International Emmys. This feels great.

What is it about your characters that you think appeals to the global audience and filmmakers?
Many people, and a lot of young filmmakers, want to see experimental cinema. All good films may not work at the box office, but they give you worldwide recognition. A well-made film never dies, and good work never goes unnoticed. Kabhi Kabhi toh lagta hai ki apun hi Bhagwan hai — people make me say this dialogue (from Sacred Games) a lot, so much that I am bored of it now. Jo bolne mein mazaa nahi aaya, wohi popular ho jaata hain. Maine woh dialogue bola bhi kharab tha. I could have said it better, with more thehrav, but people loved it. On the contrary, I loved my dialogues and the writing in Manto, but shaayad logon ne woh samjha hi nahi, ya phir difficult dialogue logon se boley nahi jaate. It is possible that those Urdu lines weren’t easy to emulate, and so, didn’t get as popular. But all of us still remember Dilip Kumar saab’s lines from Mughal-E-Azam. There was a lot of Urdu in that, too, so you can’t predict what people will or won’t like.

Cinema has no boundaries or language barriers per se, but it is always challenging for an actor to get the language or accent right when he/she does foreign language shows or films, isn’t it?
My upcoming international film, No Land’s Man is in English. Roam Rome Mein was predominantly an English film, too. English mein acting karna aasan hai. Om Puri wasn’t very fluent in English either. He was a hardcore Punjabi, but he has perhaps done maximum international films and his work was appreciated because he was a good actor. For one, the problem occurs when you try and copy their accent.

You recently said, ‘I only take criticism from people of my standard.’ It’s too strong a statement to make...
Aaj kal social media par har koi critic ban jaata hai. Let the film critics do their job. You need a certain understanding of cinema to be able to analyse a film, and that comes with certain years of experience and knowledge of cinema. I am always open to criticism, but you need to earn that right. Anyone can’t pass an opinion as a review and say, ‘I give this film 2 stars.’ It reminds me of my Sacred Games dialogue, ‘Har koi Bhagwaan banke baitha hai’ (laughs!).

Nawazuddin Siddiqui has created a niche for himself and has emerged as one of the most accomplished actors of all time in Indian cinema. A few of his films have been disappointing but overall, his films still arrest attention, at least among the intelligentsia. His upcoming film Roam Rome Mein is even special as he collaborates with actor Tannishtha Chatterjee, and this is also her directorial debut. But sadly, this film leaves you with mixed feelings.

The story of the movie: Raj Awasthi (Nawazuddin Siddiqui) belongs to a rich but orthodox family from Delhi and is also a working professional. He is about to get married to Parul (Isha Talwar) in a few days. His sister Reena (Tannishtha Chatterjee) insists that she wants to go to Agra for shopping with a friend. Raj ‘allows’ her to go. Reena however has lied and she flies to Rome. Raj finds out when she tells him after reaching the Italian city. Raj gets the shock of his life but is helpless. A few days later, his tension levels further increase as Reena is unreachable and the hotel receptionist says that she hasn’t opened her room since 2 days. With no other option in hand, Raj flies to Rome. He lies to his regressive father (Vineet Kumar) and Parul and claims he is traveling to Rome for business purposes. He reaches Reena’s hotel and also bumps into two cops who are investigating the case. They find out that Reena last met Robert (Andrea Scarduzio), a professor of architecture at a university. He tells the police that Reena met him as she wanted to enroll in a course. As Raj tries his best to find out about Reena’s whereabouts, strange things start happening to him.

Roam Rome Mein starts off in a conventional manner. The gist is established very well in the first 10-15 minutes. Audiences get acquainted with the setting, regressive mindset of Raj and the fact that his father is an even bigger misogynist who has always treated Reena like a second class family member. The Rome scenes too are interesting at first. However the film then enters the surreal territory and this is where the film gets a bit trippy and even heavy. Raj is unable to differentiate between reality and illusion and the same happens with audiences as well. A few scenes in this regard are enjoyable. But for the audiences, it gets difficult to comprehend what’s going on actually.

Nawazuddin Siddiqui yet again proves his worth. It was great to see him play an urban rich person, sans any criminal record, for a change! He internalizes the part so well that one can actually feel that he’s going through a harrowing time. Tannishtha Chatterjee is marvellous in the supporting role and this film shows yet again why she should act more. Valentina Corti is sweet but her character will leave viewers mystified. Isha Talwar, last seen in Article 15 as Ayushmann Khurrana's wife, is a great talent. Vineet Kumar and Sapna Sand (Raj and Reena's mother) are convincing. Andrea Scarduzio is dependable. The actors playing the cops, receptionist and old couple also do well.

Alokananda Dasgupta’s background score is very striking and suits the narrative. Sunita Radia's cinematography is splendid and you can’t help but fall in love with Rome when you see this film. Even the locations chosen are visually beautiful. Valerio Romano's production design is appropriate. Protim Khaound's editing does justice to Tannishtha’s vision, especially the way the film smoothly from reality to illusion.

Tannishtha Chatterjee's story is inspired from her real life. To listen to her talk about a surreal moment of the film which actually happened with is well, surreal! Tannishtha Chatterjee and Abhishek Chatterjee's screenplay is intentionally trippy and ambiguous but the desired impact is not made, at least for me. Tannishtha Chatterjee and Abhishek Chatterjee's dialogues are quite sharp and even very witty. The Sonia Gandhi reference would be lapped up by audiences.

Tannishtha Chatterjee's direction does justice to the hatke script at hand. She proves that she knows her job well despite being a debutant director. There’s an underlying message or rather a comment about the regressive mindset that still exists in our country and how it has ruined the lives of millions of women. That bit is surely relatable. But the surreal bit, though well handled, leaves audiences bewildered at many places!

On the whole, Roam Rome Mein is a fine attempt and makes some interesting comment on misogyny. But the film gets in the surreal zone and many scenes might be difficult to comprehend. Many probably would get the whole film but I am sure there would be a vast section of people who’ll be Googling ‘Roam Rome Mein explained’ once they come out of the theatre!

My rating - ** ½ out of 5!

Tannishtha Chatterjee's second directorial, a romcom, tackles environmental issues in a city
Himesh Mankad (MUMBAI MIRROR; December 19, 2018)

Even before the release of her directorial debut, Roam Rome Mein, a love story featuring Nawazuddin Siddiqui and Velentina Corti, Tannishtha Chatterjee is ready with her second script, Dhoka Cola. A romcom on the face of it, Tannishtha is quick to add that it has an underlying layer of social commentary woven into the screenplay. “We need to tell stories which are progressive, break social stereotypes through mass or pop culture. My film speaks about the environmental issues in the city. If we can’t breathe fresh air or eat fresh food, what’s the use of development?” argues the writer-director-actress, saying people living in the metros would be able to relate to the story easily, since they are victims of deforestation.

The film was shortlisted by the Asia Pacific Screen Awards (ASPA), an academy film fund that supports feature films at the script stage. It was in the list of 15 films drown from across the globe and Tannishtha is proud of the achievement. “It’s an assurance that my content is strong,” she beams.

This year has seen several content-driven films rather than star-driven films work their magic on the audience and that she believes is an encouraging sign. “It is good that different kind of stories are working in today’s time,” asserts the filmmaker who is currently busy finalising the script and cast while simultaneously working on the post production of Roam Rome Mein. 

The actor is trading grit and grime for light-hearted love stories in as many as four out of six films in the coming year
Roshmila Bhattacharya (MUMBAI MIRROR; November 7, 2018)

The new year will see Nawazuddin Siddiqui changing lanes, from serious dramas to light-hearted romances. And the actor couldn’t be happier. He surprises you with the admission that back in the ’80s and early ’90s, when he was dabbling in theatre in Delhi, he featured in so many comedies that he had acquired the tag of a ‘comedian’ and when he set out for Mumbai and the movies in 1996, his friends and fellow actors told him to steer clear of the laughs.

After breaking into Bollywood with a small role in the Aamir Khan-starrer Sarfarosh in 1999, Nawaz went on to impress in films like Dekh Indian Circus, Kahaani, Gangs of Wasseypur, Talaash, Manjhi, Raman Raghav 2.0, Badlapur, Raees, Mom and more recently, Manto. Most of his screen appearances, with a few exceptions like Bajrangi Bhaijaan and Freaky Ali, have played up his intensity. But the actor himself is now keen to take a break from such roles whose hangover is difficult to shrug off. “Bahut ho gaya,” he exclaims. Now of the six films he has lining up for 2019, only one is a biopic and the other an action drama. The remaining four are fun-filled romcoms and sunshiny love stories.

Nawaz tells us what to expect from the line-up:


Motichoor Chaknachoor:
This one is an out-and-out family entertainer which incorporates a romantic track with Athiya (Shetty) and revolves around a wedding. Ma baap sochte hain that once they get their kids married, it’s the end of all their problems, little realising that they have just begun. In fact, some of them crop up during the wedding itself when relatives rooth jaate hain and will stomp out if you are not able to smoothen their ruffled feathers. This marry-go-round unfolds in a small town. It’s a life I’m familiar with having grown up in one. Even the motichoor laddoos in the title bring back memories of many celebrations because while other sweets are eaten through the year, these laddoos are specially made for festivals and shaadis.


Photograph:
Another love story, this one with Sanya Malhotra and me as a photographer. It has the distinctive simplicity of Ritesh’s (Batra, director) earlier film, The Lunchbox, and will surely touch hearts too. It unfolds in Mumbai where lovers are strapped for time and have no place to romance. So, while in a small town a boy and girl can happily spend a couple of years just looking at each other from their terraces with no sense of urgency, in the city you have to make time for love in the hurry-scurry of everyday life, between job and commute. You usually meet on the train or the bus, in a cramped restaurant or while being jostled in the crowd.


Roam Rome Mein:
This is my third straight film with a woman director (Tannishtha Chatterjee), the other two being Manto (Nandita Das) and Motichoor Chaknachoor (Debamitra Hasan). Ninety per cent of it was filmed in Rome and my co-star, Valentina Corti, is an extremely popular and professional actress, having done TV shows like Don Matteo, All The Music of the Heart and Titanic: Blood and Steel. But not for a minute did I feel that I was working in a country that was not my own and with an actress who was a foreigner. Actors across the world have the same concerns and passions as far as creativity goes. And love knows no boundaries, rather it binds hearts. For me personally, love is unconditional support... It gives you the freedom to do what you want. That’s why maa ka pyaar sabse sachcha hota hai.


Thackeray:
This is my most difficult project so far because it’s a Hindi-Marathi bilingual. Manto was a biopic too, but Thackeray is a bigger challenge because there is so much material available on Balasaheb, people have watched him live or on screen. I’ve been watching countless videos to imbibe his mannerisms, speech patterns and personality traits. It’s a lot of work and there’s a Part 2 as well. Currently the script for the sequel is being worked on.

Petta:
Since Petta is an action film with a surprise twist, I can’t reveal much about my role. But watch out for our young director, Karthik Subbaraj. Bahut mazaa aaya uske saath kaam karke. I’m a crazy fan of Rajini sir (Rajinikanth) and lived the dream of working with him with this Tamil film. I’ve often met superstars who constantly remind you about their star status. But he’s a legend and yet I have yet to meet someone who’s so simple and real. Rajini sir is always trying to reiterate the fact that he’s an aam aadmi like you and I.

Raat Akeli Hai:
I’ve worked with Radhika Apte in Manjhi: The Mountain Man and Badlapur. Recently, we also did a show together. I’m impressed with her growth as an actress and it’s wonderful to collaborate with her on Honey Trehan’s directorial debut. Honey and I have been wanting to do a film together for a long time, I wanted it to be a love story. And what better than one that borrows its title from the Jewel Thief chartbuster, “Raat Akeli Hai”. I was the only one in my village who was a die-hard Dev Anand fan. I’d copy the way he walked and spoke, his distinctive style. This subject is different, but I’m thrilled it has the Dev Anand connection in its title.

Nawazuddin Siddiqui on downsides of candour, significance of the female gaze and why he is afraid of reviews
Roshmila Bhattacharya (MUMBAI MIRROR; September 17, 2018) 

Tell us something about Saadat Hasan Manto, the acclaimed writer-playwright, that even you weren’t familiar with till you played him on screen?
Well, I’d read his stories, so when I bumped into Nandita (Das, director) at the Cannes Film Festival in 2013 and she told me she was planning a biopic on Manto, I agreed to be a part of it. Four years later, after completing her research, she returned to introduce me to the man, his world and his thoughts. I had no idea till then that Manto had been an alcoholic and was so prolific he could write a story while being jostled in a crowd. I also didn’t know about the obscenity cases against him or that he was quite the family man.

Do you see glimpses of Nawaz in him?
Yes, there are times when I’m so immersed in a role, I cease to be a part of the real world. Physically I’m there, but mentally I’ve zoned out. At such times if my wife and children want my time, I’m lost to them aur tab thodi bahut kaha-suni ho jati hai (Smiles wryly).

Manto spoke the truth fearlessly and often brutally, and that got him into trouble. You used to be pretty outspoken yourself once...
(Laughs) If you read the interviews I gave in 2012, you will see that I said what I thought. But then I began to realise that mere sach bolne se problem ho rahi hai so I began manipulating the truth. I’d say what was permissible, what people wanted to hear, till I entered the Manto zone.

Then, for about two-three months, I was back to speaking the truth without embellishments. But society can be very judgmental, people started saying, he’s done all this, he must be a really dirty guy, kitna kharab insaan hai. It didn’t matter that I had admitted to certain shortcomings myself. I wasn’t appreciated for my honesty. Instead, my confessions went against me. So, I figured there was no point in spoiling my public image when I was getting work — mujhe jhooth bolna chahiye.

Don’t the lies make you feel guilty?
Bilkul, I feel terribly guilty. When I am alone, I reprimand myself for all the lies I’ve told so that logon ke samne meri achchi image bani rahe. What to do, zamana yehi sunna chahta hai.

Has working with women directors like Nandita and Tannishtha Chatterjee (Roam Rome Mein) changed your perspective?
Debamitra Hassan, the director of another upcoming film, Motichoor Chaknachoor, is a lady too. And yes, working back-to-back with women directors has changed my perspective on the world, improved me not just as an actor but a human being too.

In what way?
Well, creatively, both men and women are equal, but the male gaze is very different from the female gaze. And I’ve come to realise that it’s because of men that duniya mein aaj itna hungama hai, so much of violence. It’s time we put power in the hands of women; the world will become a better place.

At home, do you surrender to your wife’s decisions?
Hamesha se, I tell her that if she feels it’s the correct decision, make it. After working with women, mera nazariya badal gaya hai. I’ve come to believe that today our hope lies in women.

From Manto to Thackarey, how different is Sanjay Raut’s biopic?
Very different in that few have seen Manto or heard him. We know him only through his writings so while playing him, I could interpret him my way. But people have watched Balasaheb deliver his speeches live, there are thousands of videos of him on YouTube, so I have to concentrate on minute details, from the way he moved his fingers to the way he sat, since in this case, getting the body language right is important to make the performance authentic. Also, since Thackeray is a Hindi-Marathi bilingual, I’ve hired a tutor to get my Marathi diction right. It’s my most difficult role so far.

And what’s it like sharing the screen with ‘Thalaiva’ Rajinikanth in your first Tamil film, Petta?
What a stylish actor, what a superstar he is! I used to copy his mannerisms, from the way he swings his sunglasses to the way he caught a lit cigarette. And then I met him and was shocked by his simplicity. Being around him is a lesson in itself and since I’m a lot like him, we got along well.

On the other side of the world, what was it like working with the popular Italian actress, Valentina Corti, in Roam Rome Mein?
Not just Valentina, all the other actors, from Francesco Apolloni and Andrea Scarduzio to Urbano Barberini, are equally brilliant, so well trained and well-rehearsed when they arrive for the shoot. Mazaa aa gaya.

Were you recognised in Rome?
(Smiles) Well, Sacred Games had just started airing, after about eight days people started watching the show and then I could see a flicker of recognition on their faces.

Going by your choice of films lately, you seem to be deliberately steering clear of big-budget, starry commercial projects...
No, it’s not deliberate, I’m getting to pick and choose my films now and want to explore new terrain, take on roles that demand me to internalise more. The Rajinikanth film is an out-and-out mainstream entertainer and Motichoor Chaknachoor too is a sweet, commercial romcom. When I was doing theatre, I worked in around 50-200 comedies. Films have given me this serious, intense image so doing lighter roles is a welcome change.

Finally, any last-minute jitters as you prepare to resurrect Manto on screen?
Reviews se bahut dar lagta hai. I was very nervous when I went with it to Cannes and it was unexpected but encouraging when reviews in publications like The Hollywood Reporter analysed the film and my performance in great detail. Here, we are more focused on entertainment. We want films to make us laugh and cry while they are looking for films that make them think. Here everyone is a critic. A film and all the hard work we put in it, is dismissed with two stars. Isi liye to dar lagta hai (Smiles wryly again).

(L to R) Ravi Walia, Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Valentina Corti, Tannishtha Chatterjee, Francesco Apolloni with Sancho Panza, Cristina Puccinelli and Andrea Scarduzio

BOMBAY TIMES (August 30, 2018)

A while ago, Nawazuddin Siddiqui’s mysterious tweet with an Italian woman, captioned, ‘Yeh ladki mere Roam Rome Mein hai’ set the internet abuzz with excitement. Now, ending the speculation around the actor’s latest project, producers Eros International, Rising Star Entertainment Pvt. Ltd., and Pankaj Razdan are happy to share the details of their film, titled Roam Rome Mein. Starring Nawazuddin and Italian actress Valentina Corti in the lead, the movie marks the directorial debut of Tannishtha Chatterjee. Shot across Rome, the movie also features an impressive Italian cast, including writer/actor Francesco Apolloni, Hollywood actor Andrea Scarduzio, Urbano Barberini of Casino Royale fame and theatre and cinema actress, Pamela Villoresi.

The team has returned to India after completing the Rome schedule. Producer Ravi Walia shares, “Tannishtha is a dear friend and an immensely talented artiste. We worked together on Bhopal: A Prayer For Rain (2013), which also had an international cast. I’m delighted to be producing her directorial debut. The movie is interesting and will appeal to the Indian masses, given its international, yet realistic feel.”

Valentina Corti is known for her roles in TV shows like Don Matteo, All The Music Of The Heart and Titanic: Blood And Steel. Although this is her debut Bollywood project, she shared an easy camaraderie with Nawazuddin and the cast. Talking about the film, she says, “It was a great experience to be directed by Tannishtha, who is an amazing director and a sensible person. I’m glad to have had the opportunity to work with Nawaz. Together, we were a super team! I think when everyone works with passion, something magical happens.” Nawaz adds, “Many years ago, when I was in NSD, I fell in love with this girl called Tannishtha, but never got any response from her and many years later, the same girl became a wonderful director and fell in love with Nawaz the actor, who is the leading man in her film Roam Rome Mein.”

Shot at several iconic locations across Rome, this multilingual weaves in the cultural and historical highlights of the ancient Italian capital and yet, it’s very desi at its core. Currently, the team is gearing up for the India schedule. Roam Rome Mein is set to hit the screens in 2019.