Abir Chatterjee: I have no problem with anyone calling me a Bengali actor in Mumbai

Actor Abir Chatterjee is all set for the digital debut of his hit film Fatafati, which has already made it’s way into the hearts of the audience with it’s theatrical run. Also starring Ritabhari Chakraborty, Fatafati comes with a social message against body image issues and body shaming. Ahead of the film debut on SonyLiv on August 4, Abir candidly shared why the film is special to him during a chat with Hindustan Times.

Fatafati revolves around the story of Phullora, played by Ritabhari and her husband, Bachaspati. It navigates the story of a suburban tailor who is blessed with a sense of fashion but faces ridicule due to her body type. As she takes on a journey to achieve her dreams, it’s her husband who stays by her side.

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Talking about the film, which continues to run at the ticket window, Abir Chatterjee said, “Fatafati has done well at the box office. It’s still doing good and shows are still housefull, which is a huge thing. At the same time, I understand that there’s a huge number of people who couldn’t watch Fatafati in theatre; maybe they are living in different countries or states. They are interested in watching Fatafati and we are finally able to reach out to them.”

As Fatafati is all set to reach a wider audience, it will also introduce viewers to Bengali cinema. The show will be available with English subtitles on the OTT platform. Abir who believes the film is universal, said, “One of the biggest advantages is OTT is that language is no more a barrier. You can watch anything with subtitles. Now actually the world has become a village. Now that people will watch Fatafati on SonyLiv they might be more interested in Bengali content now.”

Once Swastika Mukherjee expressed displeasure with those who refer to her as a ‘Bengali actress.’ Does Abir agree with it? Sharing his experience, the actor answered, “No, I don’t see it that way. Her point was that you cannot identify an artist as Bengali or based on the region. Whenever I go to Mumbai for the shoot, I know my team and co-actors not only judge me but also my industry. I represent the Bengali film industry. How professional I am is also being judged. But I don’t mind when someone comes to me and says ‘You are that Bengali actor from Avrodh 2’.

Whenever I go to Mumbai for the shoot, I know my team and co-actors not only judge me but also my industry. I have no problem with anyone calling me a Bengali actor. I feel proud.

“I feel very proud. I have no problem with anyone calling me a Bengali actor. Also in today’s time, as Swastika has said rightly, you cannot tag anyone as a Bengali actor. I am happy and content knowing people who might not be Bengali, are watching my Bengali content with subtitles.”

During the conversation, Abir also opened up about his co-star Ritabhari’s struggle with body shaming. “She has gone through the same journey. Being an actor, it’s very unfortunate that people judge them. They say so many nasty things. I remember people writing things like ‘You are no more a heroine, with your plus size your career is ruined, now you can get married and stop thinking about your career.’ Even after that, she had the courage to motivate people through the film. It’s quite a task.

“I have seen people telling her that they gained confidence after watching our film. Being an actor doesn’t only mean delivering box office hits but also touching people’s lives that is what Fatafati has done,” he added with a smile.

I have seen people talking about me on social media. Previously, I used to get affected and now I don’t even read comments.

While female actors face criticism online, especially regarding their looks, are their male counterparts immune to the trolls? Abir shared his take, “Trolling is the biggest pass time on the internet. Our profession is such that we run after people’s perceptions. Bow it is a part of our job how we handle trolling. I have seen people talking about me on social media. Previously, I used to get affected and now with experience, I don’t even read comments. On the other hand, we get a lot of unconventional love. I get so much love that these negative comments get nullified.

“There are common misconceptions we need to break. People think men shouldn’t cry. Why shouldn’t they? In Fatafati, my character cries after seeing his wife doing well. He was overwhelmed because he knew her journey. He couldn’t handle it anymore. It very so manly to me to have a character like that who expresses his emotion. Crying has nothing to do with not being strong,” Abir asserted.