Kalki Koechlin, who is playing the role of an Anglo-Indian woman in Konkona Sensharma’s directorial debut, has learnt Bengali for her character. “I had to learn some Bengali for the film as I am playing a woman who is half Bengali. There are some Bengali words in the film,” said Kalki.
Konkona is making her directorial debut with A Death in the Gunj, which also stars Kalki, Ranvir Shorey, Vikrant Massey, Om Puri and Tanuja.
The film traces the journey of five individuals who are on a holiday.
It was shot extensively in McCluskieganj town, near Ranchi, which was once famous for its considerable population of the Anglo-Indian community, but has gradually dwindled in numbers after the sixties.
“There is one scene in the film where everyone is singing the famous Bengali song ‘Dhitang dhitang bole’. I had to learn it by heart. It was fun and interesting. Bengal has such a rich culture,” Kalki said.
Born to French parents in Puducherry, which was once a French colony, the actress who is playing a 34-year-old woman called Mitali, said she could relate to her character because of the French connect.
The shooting of the film is over and it is now on the editing table.