Dark Chocolate (Bengali, Hindi) based on the Sheena Bohra murder case hit theatres on Friday, but so quietly that hardly anybody knew about its release. A little earlier in the day, Riya Sen who plays Sheena and the young Indrani Mukherjee (who allegedly killed Sheena) in the film spoke to SpotboyE.com about the film. Excerpts from the conversation:
How was it working on Dark Chocolate?
Working on Dark Chocolate turned out to be quite a clinical experience for me. I was told that my character was inspired by the deceased Sheena Bora. Having not known her and given the paucity of research material available on her, I'm not sure whether I actually represented who she was as a person. What I did do was follow the director's brief and kept the consistency of that character intact. I was only given my lines a day or two before the shoot, so there wasn't really time to do anything beyond that. There was no script (pauses).
Go on...
Mahima (who plays Indrani in her middle age) and I became quite obsessed with our characters and the case itself during the shoot. While enacting we kept discussing the moments of what actually might have happened in the case especially during the main killing sequence which we too shot in a jungle. It was a big challenge to get into a complicated character like Sheena. The body being cut, burnt, et al, it was very eerie. .
Why no script?
We were shooting the film as the case developed alongside, so we incorporated things only accordingly. Hence, no script.
How was it working with Mahima?
Mahima is someone I'm fond of, and it was great fun working with her.
Were you apprehensive that you had to shoot a long lovemaking scene in the film?
I was a bit skeptical, but I trusted Agnidev Chatterjee (director) and went with it, I guess the role demanded that intimate moment between me and my boyfriend in the film (Sourav Ghosh) and I had to be flexible as an actor--- but there is nothing obscene about that scene. I have done a bare back scene, that's about it. There's no kissing or necking involved.
Is it your bare back or was a body double used?
It's my bare back. I had a top in the front.
Do you think the film should have been released on a wider scale?
Yes, because its subject is one of national interest. But I can't speak for the producers and distributors about their marketing strategy. I'd like to believe that I stick to my job.
What's the feedback you getting on Dark Chocolate?
I am getting excellent feedback from the audience and industry professionals both.
Thumbnail Image Source: facebook/riyasenofficial/ southdreamz / Youtube/ Macneill Engineering