The scale of ‘Andhar’ will be unforeseen: Chanchal Chowdhury

Acclaimed actor Chanchal Chowdhury is gearing up for the release of his new film "Andhar", directed by Raihan Rafi. Playing Shamsher in the big-budget production, Chanchal says the film ventures into territory rarely explored in Bangladeshi cinema.

Speaking to The Daily Star, the actor said choosing characters that offer something different has remained central to his approach to cinema.

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“I always try not to play similar characters. It may happen occasionally in television dramas, but I don’t do that when it comes to web films or cinema. I take on projects when the story and character are new and when they appeal to me,” he said.

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For Chanchal, it was the unusual premise and genre of "Andhar" that particularly caught his attention.

“The story of 'Andhar' is different. A film of this kind has not been made in Bangladesh before. We haven’t worked with a story like this before, nor have we seen a film of this genre.”

The scale of the production also set the experience apart. Chanchal said the team spared little in creating the world envisioned for the film.

“It is a big-budget film. Everything that was necessary for the production was arranged. Sets were built, and even a two-storey house was constructed for my character. In short, the film was mounted on a very large scale,” he said.

That attention to detail extended to the preparation. Before cameras began rolling, Chanchal and other members of the cast spent seven days rehearsing in Gazipur, with mobile phones kept outside the rehearsal space.

“We had to submit our phones before rehearsals. We rehearsed like this for seven days. Everyone, including myself, put in a great deal of effort to make sure the work turned out well. People were also brought in from abroad for the action sequences,” Chanchal said.

He also credited his co-stars and the wider team for bringing the project together.

“Tushi, Siam, Monwar, Gazi Rakayet, myself and everyone else worked on the film with great care. Most importantly, it was a fantastic team. That’s why I can say 'Andhar' has turned out to be a good film. It has something worthwhile to offer audiences,” he said.

Although a release date has yet to be announced, Chanchal indicated that audiences may not have to wait much longer.

“The director will make the announcement regarding the release. All I can say is that it will be released soon,” he said.

"Andhar" marks another collaboration between Chanchal and Raihan Rafi, following the actor’s cameo appearances in "Toofan" and "Pressure Cooker". This time, however, Chanchal takes on a more substantial role.

Speaking about Rafi, he said, “The name Raihan Rafi itself carries a lot of weight when it comes to drawing audiences. He is one of the leading directors of our time.”

Shamsher, meanwhile, required Chanchal to invest considerable time in developing the character before filming.

“Of course it was challenging. A different kind of character always comes with its own challenges, and this entire role was challenging. I devoted a lot of time to the project. We had numerous meetings and sat together many times to work things out,” he said.

Looking back at the process, Chanchal believes the strength of "Andhar" lies in the collective effort behind it.

“A complete team, a thoroughly planned production, the director’s hard work and our own efforts – all of these have come together to make 'Andhar' a good film,” he concluded.