Oct 08, 2026 4:19pm IST
‘Emperor Vs Sarat Chandra’: Tota Roy Choudhury On Being Initially Unconvinced About Being Chosen For The Title Role (EXCLUSIVE)
One of the big Bengali movie releases of Durga Puja 2026 is “Emperor Vs Sarat Chandra.” Actor Tota Roy Choudhury (real name: Pushparag Roy Choudhury) steps into the role of celebrated Indian author, Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay whose works include “Devdas,” “Parineeta,” “Srikanta,” to name a few. “Emperor Vs Sarat Chandra” explores the life of the author when he wrote “Pather Dabi,” a novel about the revolutionary movement in India. Abir Chatterjee plays Sabyasachi Mallick, a revolutionary, the main protagonist of the novel, who fights the British in "Emperor Vs Sarat Chandra." 2026 is also the centenary year of “Pather Dabi.”
In a detailed interview with Variety India, Choudhury shares how playing Sarat Chandra is a milestone event in his career.
Bringing Sarat Chandra To Celluloid
In 2026, Choudhury starred in two historical fiction projects, a web-series “The Revolutionaries,” and a film “Keu Bole Biplobi Keu Bole Dakat (KBBKBD).” Choudhury shares how difficult it was for the team to collate factual information on Sarat Chandra's life, saying, “Not much is known about him apart from anecdotes from a few autobiographical novels like “Srikanta.” We had to get in touch with his family members who are now in the third or fourth generation. This was the first step towards building this character. Unlike Rabindranath Tagore or Subhash Chandra Bose, there is no video documentary on Sarat Chandra. We had to build him in a manner that has its base in the public’s perception of him.”
The novel, “Pather Dabi” (The Right Of The Way) is hailed as a revolutionary work of art that inspired Subhash Chandra Bose. The actor quips, “Every revolutionary would carry a copy of it along with the Bhagavad Gita. He had to face a lot of backlash from the British Government for “Pather Dabi,” and tried to seek support from his literary peers. The lack of support left him very disappointed. However, since not much detail is available about him we had to be very careful.”
Sarat Chandra is one of the best-selling authors in the history of Indian literature. “Devdas” alone has been rewritten in multiple Indian languages. He says, “This is a very important film, not just for the Bengali diaspora but to me as well,” he adds.
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On A Short Notice
Choudhury reveals how he had little time to prepare for the role. “I completely immersed myself knowing I was playing one of the most important roles of my life. The shoot started all of a sudden as there were very busy artists roped in for the film. I feel, nowhere in the world do actors have the luxury of time to prepare in depth for roles in the current climate,” he adds.
Further on, he narrates how he was truly taken aback when Srijit Mukherji told him that he envisioned his Sarat Chandra in the actor. “I was silent for five to six seconds. I asked him, ‘What are you talking about?’ He said he was confident about his choice or else he would not waste my time. When I told him, I needed some time, he said, "That's the problem, we do not have time.”
The "Feluda" star fondly narrates how this film was an exercise of acing the outward transformation first before moving to the character’s emotional landscape. He states, “I was not convinced that I look like Sarat Chandra. I thought there would be a look test but we began shooting straight away. I am very fond of Srijit and do not mind indulging him (laughs). Somnath Kundu, our makeup man helped me transform into Sarat Chandra with my bone structure. I was surprised by his work and finally saw myself as the character.”
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Working with Srijit Mukherji
In the past, Srijit Mukherji has made “Rajkahini” (2015), a historical drama, which was a huge hit. Choudhury describes him as the “most passionate filmmaker” he has worked with apart from the late Rituparno Ghosh. The actor says, “Every frame is important for him. So, he's always meticulous and because of his perfectionism, he's always high strung. He has got this zeal, that missionary zeal, especially when he makes films which are rooted in our culture.”
Bringing Sarat Chandra To Gen-Z Audiences
Choudhury lauds Gen-Z’s efforts in trying to reconnect with their roots. He feels they have a quest for knowledge around their past, social and cultural lineage. He says, “If you go to Instagram, you will find a lot of AI-generated videos talking about Bengal’s past. This film is for everyone who loves Sarat Chandra. We have tried to make an engaging film. I will not go to the extent of calling it an entertainment film. People will watch the film because it explores many aspects of Sarat Chandra’s life as well as the novel, ‘Pather Dabi.” If curiosity about Sarat Chandra and his works increase after the film’s release, we will consider this a success.”
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