There is a certain kind of anticipation that settles over Calcutta just before Durga Puja. The air is heavy with the last traces of monsoon humidity; sudden showers interrupt the afternoon heat, and the sweet, delicate fragrance of chhaatim flowers drifts through the city like a promise of the festivities to come. It is a season of beautiful contradictions, of rain-soaked afternoons and bright new beginnings, when even the city seems to be dressing up for its favourite time of the year.
At Nymerah, Chowringhee, Koushani Mukherjee arrived like a breath of sunshine, draped in a luminous lime sari, bringing with her all the diva energy and easy charm of a woman who knows how to own a room. With her film Bohurupi: The Golden Daku set to release on October 15, we caught up with the actor to chat about the film and her return as Jhimli in the sequel to Bohurupi. But first, there was a little fashion magic to be made. Koushani slipped into two looks, one for the day and another for the night, exclusively for t2, their changing moods mirroring Nymerah’s own day-to-night theme.
As the hair and make-up artistes worked on her fresh, dewy glow, the excitement of the Puja season was almost palpable. Calm yet jovial as always, Koushani brought life to every frame, making the shoot feel less like a schedule to keep and more like a lovely afternoon spent in good company. With her, it is always a little more fun. Between the film, the festivities and a wardrobe that moves effortlessly from day to night, there was plenty to talk about.
FESTIVE SEASON
For Koushani, Puja and films have become something of a recurring love story. With Bohurupi: The Golden Daku marking her third consecutive Puja release, she is already embracing the title that comes with it. “I literally want to be the Puja queen at the box office. I wish that this never ends,” she says, laughing. The actress admits that the seemingly endless cycle of shoots, promotions, photoshoots, and getting dressed up is hardly work for her. “I enjoy my own vibe. I just love what I’m doing right now, and I can go on till morning. Once I wake up, I’m completely recharged and I just love it. I think this is my unwind process. Once you love your job, that’s the best thing that can happen to you.”
And the festive season gives her another excuse to indulge in the part of her profession she clearly enjoys. “I’m very passionate about what I do — facing the camera, doing photo shoots, posing, getting decked up. Every woman loves getting decked up.”
THE WORLD OF BOHURUPI
Bohurupi also brought Koushani into the world of Nandita Roy and Shiboprosad Mukherjee, a collaboration she remembers beginning with an unexpectedly candid meeting. She had seen Shiboprosad on various occasions but had never interacted with him personally, while Nandita’s first impression was distinctly intimidating. “Whenever she enters a room, it’s completely like this. She looks very strict, so she gives that boss-lady vibe,” she says.
When the call for Bohurupi came, Koushani arrived at the Windows office in anything but a glamorous avatar. “I came down completely in my casuals — loose-fit denim, a loose-fit top and the slippers I usually wear. They asked me a few things and they just loved the way I answered because I’m always very straightforward,” she recalls. Then came Shiboprosad’s rather blunt admission. “He told me that he had never watched any of my work. So I was like, ‘Is he complimenting me or is he actually crucifying the work that I’ve done?’”
The conversation eventually shifted to Jhimli, and Koushani found herself explaining how she imagined the character rather than simply answering questions about herself. “Nanditadi asked me what I liked and how I saw Jhimli after they narrated the storyline. I told them how she should talk, how she should move and how I visualised her.”
Working with a cast that included Shiboprosad, Jisshu Sengupta and Sohini Sarkar was another learning curve. “They are fantastic as actors and there’s so much to learn from them. I’m always observing and always taking it in.”
DIVA ENERGY
The glamorous side of Koushani, meanwhile, is something she has never shied away from. If anything, she seems to have fully embraced the diva label. “I’m a born diva. I don’t mind people trolling me. I don’t mind if they say anything negative about me. I’m queen in my own world. I believe in that and I’m very confident about the way I present myself.” That confidence, she insists, comes from within rather than from other people’s reactions. “I’m very confident about the way I style, I look or make sure that I look the best. And if I look the best in my own eyes, I don’t need others’ opinion.”
Her relationship with glamour is not restricted to elaborate styling either. Koushani is equally comfortable stripping it all back. “I’m very confident without make-up. I’ve done two entire films without make-up. I have the BTS to prove that my directors have come with wet tissue and removed all my makeup from my face and I’ve just gone for the shot. So I’m very confident without make-up.”
Perhaps the most fitting description of her fashion philosophy comes when she talks about what she wants from a romantic gesture. “I love that queen treatment. Just take me on a date. Something different, something out of the box — not a proper restaurant dinner date. I love surprises and I love when someone puts in that effort.”
For Koushani, the importance of Bohurupi: The Golden Daku lies beyond another Puja release. It comes at a point in her career when she is particularly conscious of moving beyond the glamorous roles she was once repeatedly offered. “I was typecast. I was overdone with the same thing happening. That really affects you when you are an actor because there is more to you than just contributing to the glam quotient of the film.”
She chose not to force the issue, instead waiting for a role that would allow her to actually demonstrate what she could do. “I’ve done my best. I was just waiting for the right opportunities. When you get the proper role, the proper way to represent yourself as an actor, then you can do justice. I strongly believe that.”
Pictures: B Halder
Stylist: Subrata Ray
Make-up artiste: Pritam Das
Hair stylist: Sujit Das
Sari and blouse: Prisho Boutique
Red outfit: Bobo Calcutta
Location: Nymerah
Jewellery: Khoobsurat Fasion