An Actress for All Seasons

I try to gather knowledge of the latest trends from the new generation. Perhaps that is the secret of my long innings in the entertainment industry. Otherwise, many other actresses who started their careers along with me have disappeared from the scene. An artiste who cannot keep pace with the changing times, gets lost in the race.

Sagorika Goswami became a household name with the popular Assamese TV sitcom, Bharaghar, which aired on an entertainment channel in prime time a few years back. But the seasoned actress has also worked for such acclaimed directors as Dr Bhabendra Nath Saikia, Dara Ahmed and Jones Mahalia in the past. She has wowed audiences on both the small and large screen for more than three decades, and earned a fair name for herself as a versatile and disciplined artiste. The petite-looking actress opens up on a gamut of issues ranging from her unbelievable comeback in the 2010s after an eight-year break to waxing eloquent on the capabilities of the new generation filmmakers. Excerpts from an interview:

Where were you born and brought up? What is your family and educational background?

I was born at Bamunimaidam in Guwahati. My father is Jatin Goswami and my mother is Kamala Goswami. I have four elder brothers. I am the only girl child in the family. My own family now comprises my husband, Amar Jyoti Goswami, and only son.

I had studied at Pub Guwahati High School. I did my graduation from B Borooah College, Guwahati. My formal education ended there.

When and how did your journey as an actress begin?

Well, I wanted to become a dance artiste when I was very young. My father is a renowned teacher of Satriya dance. So I grew up in the cultural environment that prevailed at my home. In fact I had learned dancing even before going to school. Children of our times usually went to school after the age of five years.

However, as luck would have it, I got an opportunity to essay a small role in a one-act play while doing rehearsals for the Raas festival when I was a student of Class VIII. I made my debut on the screen two years later, when I was in Class X, in a TV serial based on a story adapted from Assamese literary icon LakshminathBezbaroa's timeless fables, BurhiAair Sadhu. The serial was telecast in 1992. I went on to act in many other TV serials like AjirManuh and Dashami. In those days, such TV programmes were confined to the viewers of Guwahati alone.

Then I got a break on the big screen in a film called Rickshawala, which was released in 1993. It was helmed by Dara Ahmed. So, I have been associated with the world of acting since the 1990s.

How did Bharagharcome your way? How was your experience working in the sitcom?

Before Bharaghar I had acted in 32 to 35 serials. I had taken a hiatus from acting for eight years after marriage and birth of my son. I made a comeback with Bharaghar in 2012, though I had never planned to do so. As a housewife, I had not taken very great care of my body. So I was a bit apprehensive.

Late Achyut Bhagawati, who was the then head of the entertainment channel, Rang, approached me for a role in the serial. He said that the work schedule would run for around three months, and that 80 episodes would be filmed. They were actually planning a new serial and the current sitcom was some kind of a stopgap arrangement till the new serial was ready. But such was the popularity of Bharaghar once it went on air that my association with it extended up to six-and-a-half years.

I left the serial for some personal reasons, but it also went off air sometime after my departure. Apart from MridulBhuyan, who wielded the directorial baton in the first season of Bharaghar, I worked with all the other directors except Rajiv Borthakur who came at the fag end of the sitcom.

As far as working in the sitcom was concerned, I cannot pinpoint just one memorable experience or happening as such because each day was special and beautiful. The Bharagharteam worked like a family and the chemistry among the artistes showed on the screen. We enjoyed every moment of the shooting. There was a very homely environment behind the scenes.

How was it like working opposite a seasoned performer like Jayanta Das inBharaghar?

Jayanta Das is a senior and highly accomplished artiste. He has great practical knowledge of acting and excellent comic timing. I learnt comedy from him as I had never done it before Bharaghar. I feel that all aspiring actors should act alongside Jayanta Das to get a hang of their job.

Tell us something about your work in feature films.

I worked under such reputed directors as Dr Bhabendra Nath Saikia in Kalsandhya, Jones Mahalia in JugantararTejalPuwa, and Rajib Bhattacharya in Seuji Dharani Dhuniya. I also acted for a woman director, Dipa Bhattacharya, in The Sixth Day of Creation.

The directors were in complete charge in my earlier films. I learnt the basics of acting from them. For instance, my first feature film director, Dara Ahmed, guided me all through the making of Rickshawala. I was raw and he had a profound influence on me.

Similarly, Jones Mahalia was a progressive filmmaker who was very modern in his approach towards the craft during his time. On the other hand, Rajib Bhattacharya is obsessed with patriotic issues. I cannot really say which film, which director or which character was special for me. Each director had his signature style which differed from the others.

In recent times, I acted in a film called Raja Returns, which was directed by Kishor Das who has had his training outside. It was a unique experience for me after so many years. At first, I could not understand Kishor's needs as he had a completely different concept of filmmaking, which was different from the norms that existed in Assam or what we were used to. He wanted something different. It took time for me to pick up his cinematic language. The new generation has a different line of thinking for sure.

The film offers never dried up, but I hated the waiting period. As acting is my passion and I do not like to sit idle at home, I do all kinds of roles that come my way. So, when I get busy with TV serials, it is hard to match the dates for films if they are offered to me at a later stage. I also have a family to look after. So, I am hard pressed for time.

How is the current entertainment scenario in both films and TV serials different from the past?

In my 32-year-old career as an actress, I find a sea change in the Assamese entertainment industry as a whole. The technical aspects now and those in the bygone years are as different as "heaven and hell". Retakes during shooting were a costly affair in the past as the shots needed to be captured on film cans, which were a limited stock. Nowadays it is all digital and high-tech. The technical finesse is great. Acting has become a lot easier now. If one angle is found to be wrong, the other one or still another can be checked and OK'd. This can be done multiple times.

In terms of storytelling too, there is a great transformation. It is only natural because the social systems have also changed over the years. But at a personal level, I do not like stories which have no resemblance to reality. If something is written for the screen, the audience should be able to relate to it. There is no logic in showing anything that is not representative of the society. At least this is what I personally feel.

What kind of challenges have you faced in your long career in the film and TV industry?

The first challenge that comes to mind is the issue of remuneration for the work we do in Assam. People outside cannot imagine the kind of money that we get paid here. Artistes elsewhere get 10 times more than what I am paid. In the 32 years that I have been around, I find remuneration a major issue of the Assamese entertainment industry. Newcomers will also find this most challenging.

As for male actors getting paid more than their female co-stars, such gender-based remuneration has not been an issue with me. I am also not sure whether such a practice exists in Assam. I have not faced this problem because I strictly adhere to a 12-hour work schedule. I am available for shooting from 8 am to 8 pm on all working days. No film unit has ever suffered any loss of time on my account. However, after pack-up, I head straight back home as I am basically a family-oriented person. It is as simple as that. Due to such work culture, I may have been getting the fee that I ask for. So far, so good.

Another major challenge for talented film artistes in Assam is that they do not get the kind of work that they deserve. When good actors do not get good roles, they naturally get disillusioned and discouraged. This is definitely a sad issue for many of us.

What are the awards and recognition that you have received so far?

I got the Moonlight Media Award (presented in recognition of work in Assamese films, TV serials and mobile theatre) in 1999. The role in Seuji Dharani Dhuniya also fetched me an award from the Assam Government in 2002. The Assamese Tourism Department honoured me in 2004.

But for me, 'reward' is more important than 'award'. No doubt awards spur an artiste on to give his or her best, but I get a high when people recognise me on the streets and praise my work. When they say that they liked a particular scene or dialogue of mine, I get my biggest reward.

What is your advice to upcoming female artistes?

Female aspirants, like their male counterparts, must work hard and consistently as there is no other substitute to this. Also, honesty, as in other cases, is also the best policy for survival in the film industry. The newcomers should watch others act as they can learn a lot from observation. The performances may be good or bad, but there is always something to learn from them.

What are your current and future projects?

As of now, I am engaged in JibonNodirDhou, which portrays the present-day realities in a very apt fashion. I am working with a very young team in it and I am learning a lot from these youngsters. In fact, I try to gather knowledge of the latest trends from the new generation. Perhaps that is the secret of my long innings in the entertainment industry. Otherwise, many other actresses who started their careers along with me have disappeared from the scene. An artiste who cannot keep pace with the changing times, gets lost in the race.

I am supposed to do a serial on Rengoni TV for young director NananPachoni whom I greatly admire. I am also thinking of starting my own project soon.

Lastly, what are your objectives in life?

My principle is simple: live in the present if you want a fulfilling life. You cannot get back the past and you do not know what will happen in the future. So, it is always wiser to live in the present.

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