Veteran Bengali actor Sabyasachi Chakrabarty has had Bollywood exposure in “Dil Se..”, “Parineeta” and “Khakee”, besides a brush with international cinema in Mira Nairs “The Namesake”. The actor who has been popular as Feluda among Bengali film buffs, shares he missed out on working with superstars Aamir Khan and Shah Rukh Khan while in Bollywood.
“Most of the time I had to say ‘no’ to an opportunity because the role came to me at the last minute — when the casting director calls me and asks for dates within 15 days. At times they say that they have outdoor shooting abroad that I have to be a part of. Since I always have schedules for at least two months in hand, I couldn’t say no to all those I had already committed because of one offer that comes at the very last moment,” the 63-year-old actor told IANS.
“Having said that I did miss out on working with some of the stars and that I feel bad about. Aamir Khan thought of a character for me in ‘Lagaan’. Shah Rukh Khan thought about one role for me in ‘Ashoka’. There were many such offers I couldn’t take,” shared the actor who recently appeared in the Zee5 web series ‘Lalbazaar’.
However, Sabyasachi shared his experience of rejection, too.
“There were instances when I was selected, went to Mumbai, spoke to the producer of the film. Then, from the newspapers I got to know that the film has started its first schedule of shooting and they did not even inform me I am not in the film! But ye sab to hota hi rehta hai hum sabke saath (these things keep happening to us). I see no reason of feeling disappointed. I do not get into depression by such incidents. You move on and as long as you are alive, keep your hopes alive!” smiled the actor.