Aug 02, 2026 10:00pm IST
‘Katukutu Buro’ Maker And Actor Ujaan Ganguly On Being Unbothered By The ‘A’ Certificate For His Film (EXCLUSIVE)
Filmmaker Ujaan Ganguly’s acting debut in Bengali film “Katukutu Buro,” also sees him in the lead role. In a chat with Variety India, he shares how he subconsciously learnt to juggle multiple roles watching his father, award-winning director/actor Kaushik Ganguly and mother, actress-writer Churni Ganguly at work.
Excerpts from the interview….
Your film ‘Katukutu Buro’ and your dad’s film ‘Aajo Ardhangini’ are running simultaneously in theatres….
Yeah, and there is “The Odyssey,” too, by the way (laughs). My father’s film ‘Aajo Ardhangini,’ is a critical and commercial success. I am overjoyed with the love his movie is getting. I just hope that everybody watches all the movies that are out there and hopefully including mine.
‘Katukutu Buro’ received an ‘A’ certificate for the depiction of child sexual abuse.
I was very sure when I was making the movie that I really wanted to reach audiences ranging from anything above 14 years and older. There are aspects of the content which would require a more mature understanding of the topic. I realise when such content becomes audiovisual, it does tend to have a stronger impact on viewers. Would I have preferred a larger audience watching the movie? Anyone would, right? But I'm also not entirely disappointed about it because I'm pretty sure that in some way or the other, with parental guidance they will be able to watch it. There are so many films like this, which say, my parents, despite an ‘A’ rating, did want me to watch. “Katukutu Buro” is not the first movie addressing sexual abuse of kids but it relates to the concept of magical realism and escapism that we often resort to as children through toys and superheroes. And that is, sort of, the guiding voice.
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Did the poem ‘Katukutu Buro’ by Sukumar Ray inspire you?
As literature students and even as general enthusiastic readers, we've seen the roles of the clowns, court jesters and fools in Shakespeare’s works. Sukumar Ray’s complex themes were often oversimplified due to his overall reputation. For, ‘Katukutu Buro,’ anybody actually going through the poem in detail or with the basic knowledge of what the poem is talking about, essentially realizes that it's about an old man who's tickling children till they're uncomfortable.
People have compared your chemistry with co-star Rapurna Bhattacharya with that of Dev Adhikari and Subhashree Ganguly. Did that surprise you?
That comes as a huge compliment. However, I do not agree with it because they are absolutely iconic. Like, people were obsessed with them. A lot of us were as well, and still are, because that reflection is seen in a movie like “Dhumketu,” when it's released. I am not getting into comparisons because that would be illogical, unfair and extremely stupid.
Have you sat down with your parents to discuss the chatter around nepotism these days?
I think nepotism in films works a little differently. I don't think it's very difficult to understand when we get into a logical explanation of how production works. There is a financer, there is a producer who is wanting to cast their bets on content. My parents are directors and actors who don't have a production company. I personally don't think there is a chance for an industry like this, to give out favors.
Another aspect of it is that even with the access, there's always another very variable factor, which is the acceptability of the audience. And if that is not there, then it just doesn't work, right? There are far too many variables to make the nepotism angle actually work. I'm full of acknowledgement of the privilege, but that is it.
Do you plan to take up more films as an actor?
I feel it entirely depends on the stories and opportunities. But yes, I do envisage more acting opportunities in the future. And I think animation really excites me. I will be working a lot in that medium as well.
How was it like directing your mom, Churni Ganguly, on the sets?
Oh, boy. It was literally quite terrifying. I think it's that feeling where you are in class and your mother's a teacher at the school. You're taking notes and obviously fooling around playing with pen and paper when the teacher is giving lessons. She walks past and you're suddenly pretending like you're studying, like extremely invested in the textbook, almost like nosediving into the sentences. I think I had a bit of that..
Any advice your father has given you?
He always used to say this before I would go for an examination, “Maximum Ki Hobe?” which loosely translates to, “What’s the worst that can happen?” That is his philosophy.
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