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Abir Chatterjee, Nusrat Jahan to unravel complexities of marital life in Bratya Basu's Dictionary


Based on two short stories by Buddhadeb Guha, the film features Bangladeshi actor Mosharraf Karim.

Roushni Sarkar

The first look of Bratya Basu’s upcoming film Dictionary, the story of a married couple, sees Abir Chatterjee play an introverted forest officer named Ashoke Sanyal. Based on two short stories by Buddhadeb Guha, the film also stars Nusrat Jahan and features Bangladeshi actor Mosharraf Karim.

Dictionary marks Basu's return to direction after 10 years.

While speaking to The Telegraph newspaper, Basu said, “I wanted to work on a film based on literature. I had read two Buddhadeb Guha stories many years ago, maybe when I was 20 or 21. When I decided to direct a film after a gap of 10 years, I thought of merging them. Both stories are haunting. I contemporized the stories.”

Chatterjee plays a character who might appear cold on the outside but, in reality, is quite affectionate, warm and loving. “I have known Bratya da for a long time but I am working with him for the first time,” said Chatterjee. “Through this film, he has tried to shatter his own image. We all have been a huge admirer of his work. In contemporary theatre, he has been coming up with some excellent ideas. But this film is quite different from the kind of theatre he has done.”

Chatterjee further said there were several elements that were absent from the script that had to be created onscreen. “There is silence and cinematic moments in this film. And I could understand that he is trying to build something new. We tried to come up with new ideas. The outcome was organic, and at the same time, I could see a very planned, thorough and methodical director helming the whole process,” added Chatterjee.

Jahan plays Ashoke’s wife Smita, a simple homemaker, who is interested in literature. According to the actress, the film is relatable, intriguing and can be understood in various ways. "For me, [the word] 'dictionary' means finding a meaning to words, and in the film, it means finding the meaning to the different roles we play in life,” said Jahan of her character, who has the urge to live life on her own terms.