The relentless evolution of Shankha Dasgupta

The release of the Chorki film 'Cha Gorom' has sparked significant conversation, with audiences and critics alike offering warm reception. 

For many directors, this would be the pinnacle of achievement. However, for Shankha Dasgupta, the metrics of success are far more enduring. 

"While it is heartening that everyone is speaking well of the work, I wouldn't call it ultimate success," he explains.

"For me, success is when a film remains relevant over time, or when someone returns to watch it years later. Most importantly, it is about being able to rediscover myself in the next project."

This drive for self-discovery is a visible thread connecting his recent portfolio. Before Cha Gorom, Shankha  directed his debut feature 'Priyo Maloti', preceded by the gritty series Guti. While each project varies in scope, a distinct pattern emerges: a focus on female protagonists. 

Whether it is the struggle or the potential of these women, Shankha insists this is not a calculated political statement. 

"Realistically, women often silently bear the greatest pressures, conflicts, and points of transition," he said. 

"In Guti, Priyo Maloti, or Cha Gorom, I simply wanted to capture that reality." He clarifies that he feels no obligation to tell 'woman-centric' stories, adding, "If the story leads there, I don't stop it. For me, the character comes first; whether they are male or female is secondary."

Shankha's work is also notable for its refusal to shy away from the complexities of religion and politics. Rather than treating these as 'sensitive' subjects to be avoided, he integrates them as natural components of the Bangladeshi landscape.

He views them not as external themes but as essential parts of the human experience. "Politics or religion aren't things I deliberately insert; they are part of our lives," he notes. "To avoid them in a story feels artificial." 

Yet, he remains wary of falling into a creative rut. "The question of whether this is becoming a pattern in my work is important to me. I am constantly trying to break my own moulds."

One mould he has arguably struggled to break is his tendency to create secondary characters that rival, or even eclipse, the protagonist. In Guti, Priyo Maloti, and now Cha Gorom, audiences have often found themselves more emotionally invested in the 'side' characters than the leads. Dasgupta views this as a reflection of life rather than a narrative flaw.

 "I am not interested in creating 'heroes' or 'idols.' I am interested in creating human beings," he says. "In life, the most important person isn't always the one at the centre of the room."

Technically, Dasgupta is a director who weighs his words carefully. His scripts are known for brief, sharp dialogue that carries heavy subtext—a reward for the attentive viewer.

 "I am conscious of dialogue because, to me, it doesn't just provide information; it creates an image," he admits. He acknowledges the risk of his work becoming overly sombre or 'heavy' but maintains that he is "always searching for that balance."

His latest venture, Cha Gorom, takes viewers into the tea gardens, a setting often associated with national labour issues. Rather than opting for a grand, sweeping epic, Dasgupta chose a more intimate lens. 

"Just because it's a national issue doesn't mean I tried to tell it on a massive scale," he says of the film's restrained tone. 

"I told it through a small scope and the daily lives of specific people. I believe that when a story is personal, that is when it truly becomes significant."

Cha Gorom, featuring a screenplay by Saifullah Riad and starring Safa Kabir, Rezwan Pervez, and Partho Sheikh, was released on Chorki on 14 April.