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Bengali superstar Jeet is set to portray nine different phases of revolutionary Ananta Singh’s life in his upcoming film Keu Bole Biplobi Keu Bole Dakat, describing the role as one of the most challenging assignments of his career.
Directed by Pathikrit Basu, the biopic is set in 1960s Kolkata and explores the highs and lows, struggles, convictions and sacrifices of the revolutionary. Jeet said he was familiar with Singh’s name and legacy before taking on the project, but the film gave him a much deeper understanding of the freedom fighter’s life.
“It’s a journey that keeps unfolding. I never knew the depth of his life until this story came to me. He’s not a one-dimensional character; every phase of his life adds a new perspective. As an actor, opportunities to portray someone with so many shades are rare,” Jeet told mid-day.
The actor said he has never wanted to remain confined to similar roles throughout his career. Moving beyond his established “superstar” image and experimenting with unfamiliar characters, he believes, is one of the biggest challenges for an actor.
The upcoming film, which marks roughly his 60th movie, presented him with an opportunity to take that challenge further by playing nine distinct characters. Jeet said the story and its historical context immediately attracted him, particularly because he had never encountered such a detailed portrayal of Ananta Singh’s life.
Preparing for the multiple roles was an extensive process. Jeet worked closely with the script and developed individual sketches for each character, both at home and at work. The overall script preparation took around three and a half months.
The transformation process was equally demanding. Depending on the character, makeup and costume preparations took between one and two-and-a-half hours. Makeup artist Somnath Kundu and costume designer Sanchita Ghatak Acharya worked with Jeet to ensure that each incarnation had a distinct appearance.
Jeet said his aim was to make the nine characters appear so different that audiences would feel they were watching the stories of nine separate people rather than a single actor performing multiple roles.
The actor has also been encouraged by the response to the recently released looks from the film. He said he values creating different reactions among audiences more than receiving the same kind of praise for every project. He recalled having a similar experience while working on Khakee: The Bengal Chapter.
Looking back at his long career, Jeet acknowledged that there are some projects he wishes he could have approached differently. However, he believes there are still many kinds of characters he can explore even after nearly 60 films.
Asked whether his superstar image ever influences his choice of roles, Jeet said he does not spend much time worrying about the label. For him, the character remains the most important consideration, and opportunities to move beyond his familiar image are particularly valuable.
He also suggested that the industry itself has sometimes failed to make full use of actors. According to Jeet, responsibility does not rest solely with performers but also with filmmakers, writers and the wider film industry. He argued that the health of the film industry is closely linked to broader development, including employment, security, income and economic growth.
After an absence of nearly two years, Jeet is preparing to return to the big screen with Keu Bole Biplobi Keu Bole Dakat. He considers the project one of the most demanding of his career and hopes the nine characters will make up for the long wait among his fans.
The film is expected to release on August 15. Jeet believes the positive atmosphere surrounding Independence Day could provide a suitable backdrop for the release, although he has not ruled out a Puja-period release either. He described the film market as open and said the release date should ultimately depend on what works best for the movie.
Jeet also shared memories of celebrating Puja as a child, including buying new clothes, giving outfits to relatives and visiting pandals with his parents. Although his busy schedule now makes family outings difficult, he said he enjoys watching younger members of his family celebrate.
While becoming a superstar has changed some aspects of his everyday life, Jeet said he has little regret about those changes. Having pursued the dream that brought him to his current position, he now wants to enjoy the life and career he has built.