Aparna Sen objects to cross-dresser in a Bengali flick

A Bengali film, Obhishopto Nighty, recently upset writer-director-actress Aparna Sen because she felt that one of the characters, a cross-dresser, had an uncanny resemblance to her filmmaker friend, the late Rituparno Ghosh. Buzz is, she stormed out of a special screening last Thursday in disgust.

According to an eyewitness, "Aparna was really disturbed and left mid-way."

When contacted, Sen, the winner of three National Film Awards, said, "I did not walk out". But she did not deny that she did discuss her issues over the portrayal with the film's director Birsa Dasgupta, "I never discuss films of my colleagues with anyone except the directors themselves," she said.

Dasgupta was much more forthcoming. While emphasizing that Sen saw the whole film, he admitted that she did object to the cross-dresser in his film. "She felt the character bore a resemblance to Rituda but I have not consciously drawn any parallels. My characters are drawn from different walks of life and cross-dressers today are a part of the society. Every cross-dresser is not Rituda, that's purely Aparna's perception and I do not agree to it. I respect Rituda and would never model a character on him. My producers, Venkatesh Films, have made many films with Rituda. Do you think they would do such a thing?"

He further revealed that he had to sit Sen down and explain to her that what she believed was untrue. "After that everything was fine," he asserted.

However, according to a source, Sen did not calm down after her conversation with Dasgupta and even spoke to the producers about this at the venue. Dasgupta admitted, "Both my producers and I explained things to her and she eventually understood. She has been a fan of my work."

Hope that Sen remains a fan of Dasgupta's work.