How ‘Bohurupi’ Became One Of The Highest-Grossing Bengali Films Of All Time

In the aftermath of the RG Kar rape and murder case, there was uncertainty surrounding Kolkata’s major Durga Pujo releases. However, nearly two months later, Bohurupi, starring Shiboprosad Mukherjee, Abir Chatterjee, Kousani Mukherjee, Ritabhari Chakraborty and Pradeep Bhattacharya, has crossed ₹16 crore at the box-office, becoming one of Bengal's highest-grossing films of all time.

The thriller was inspired by the real-life story of a bank dacoit, said to have carried out a series of heists in various disguises. Mukherjee, who has also co-directed the film with Nandita Roy,  plays the thief who employs the dying art of ‘bohurupi’ or ‘quick-change artistry’ to carry out his robberies in broad daylight and evade an audacious inspector (Abir Chatterjee).

A still from 'Bohurupi'.

Critically acclaimed for its performances, visuals, music and story, Bohurupi draws inspiration from Bengal’s rural culture. For its directorial duo, the film was an exercise in going back to their roots and remaining true to their language, while reviving a diminishing art.

In conversation with The Hollywood Reporter India, Nandita and Shiboprosad talk about the film, its importance and the balance they strive to achieve as directors.

With Bohurupi inching close to ₹16 crores, here is a Bengali film that finds its place in the national market after a long time. How does that feel?

Shiboprosad: If we consider the last two decades and Bengali cinema's place in the national market, the distinction has always been between arthouse and commercial films, mostly remakes. Amidst all this, narratives rooted firmly in the culture were getting lost. If a film has to have a pan-Indian appeal, it has to remain true to its roots, in whatever language it may be. Bohurupi dissolves the line between art and commerce, which has not been seen in recent times. The inspiration is so honest, that the comparison to something like a Money Heist or a Dhoom (2004) doesn't take anything away from it. Rather, it makes it more acceptable and relatable. It found a place in the market because of the immense trust we had in the honesty of the narrative.

The film had a budget of around ₹5 crore, which is quite expensive for a Bengali film. Did you believe that you had one of Bengal's biggest hits in the making?

Shiboprosad: We conceived the film back in 2012, but we really didn't plan on making it, owing to the inevitable budget constraints. During the pandemic, something struck. Life felt uncertain and we just really wanted to tell all the stories we could. Raktabeej (2023), triggered this journey  — it was the most expensive Bengali film last year with a budget of around ₹4.5 crores. We recovered the cost and boasted of a profit. This pushed us to aim higher and approach Bohurupi with more confidence. However, as we braced for the release, Kolkata found itself at the epicenter of the protests against the brutal RG Kar incident. We stalled all promotions and withheld the trailer. We were unsure of releasing the film and if at all people would visit the theatre. But, as we ushered in Durga Puja with the release, we got our career's best opening day. The trends that we saw shocked us! The day after Pujo, which usually sees a considerable dip in turnout every year, saw Bohurupi run 140 housefull shows. People came back to the theatres and the film gave them joy.

How did 'Dakatiya Banshi', the film's hugely popular dance track, happen? What was the idea behind the unique promotion of the song?

Nandita: The track emanates from the soil of Bengal. The film reconstructs the lost art of Bohurupi, and builds a narrative around it. As we went back to the lost art form, we also had to go away from the city to find a voice that would reflect the organic sound and rhythm. That's when we got in touch with Nonichura Das Baul (one of the few remaining Bohurupi artistes) who wrote the songs for us. We found a voice that was born and reared in the villages of Bengal. The rhythm was catchy, the words were witty, and when (music director) Bonnie Chakraborty created the melody, we knew we had something special. The promotions were handled by our wonderful team, with Shiboprosad spearheading it with absolute mastery. Nonichura and Shiboprosad, in their Bohrupi guises, walked into various celebrities’ houses, just like a Bohurupi would — uninvited. We followed Bohurupi culture for a long time and the song promotions reflected that.

For such an expensive film, the casting has been termed ‘unconventional’ and ‘experimental’. How confident were you in your choices?

Nandita: When I was writing the film and the characters, I was absolutely certain that I wanted Shiboprosad to play the role of the dacoit, Bikram. He wanted me to opt for some popular star because of the stakes involved, but I knew that he would deliver. Koushani (who plays Jhimli, Bikram's wife and partner-in-crime) was a new face. Nobody had seen her in a role of this sort before. But she was a breath of fresh air. People called it a gamble, but I was completely sure of the cast. Even a veteran like Pradeep Bhattacharya (as Khuro, Bikram's partner-in-crime), who had always been typecast in smaller supporting roles, delivered a flawless performance.

A still from 'Bohurupi'.

For a duo known for films dealing with domestic and familial issues, Bohurupi marks a strong shift. Was it easy?

Nandita: We don't have biases or a sense of complacency in our mind. Bohurupi shattered the glass ceiling for us as directors. It's poetic how this film has given Windows Production the “window” to fly, to dare and to aspire. We don't cater to a single genre and we want the freedom to experiment with the stories and issues that appeal to us.

Shiboprosad: As directors, we dare to dream. We can't always make the films we want, but there will come a day (when we can). If we look at Satyajit Ray, we see a Pather Panchali (1955) and a Goopy Gyne Bagha Byne (1969) in the same kitty. Yash Chopra’s filmography ranges from a Waqt (1965), to a Deewar (1975) to a Dil Toh Pagal Hai (1997). The language of cinema is relative but the range is something that all directors aspire to.

Bohurupi was in direct competition with another major Pujo release, Tekka, starring Dev and directed by Srijit Mukherji. Do you think people chose content over star factor?

Nandita: We believe that the audience should never be undermined. The content is the star. People want real stories and believable faces. The characters’ struggles and joys should be ones that the audience relates to instantly. For instance, the police inspector in our film isn't a Singham-esque hero. He has flaws and struggles to strike a balance between the personal and professional. We had a special screening for the families of police officials. They loved the reality of the visuals and the narrative, and accepted Bohurupi as a film that reflects the tribulations of their daily lives. Every character feels like someone you will come across randomly on the street.

Shiboprosad: Women have thronged cinemas in huge numbers to watch the film. Bohurupi goes beyond the masculine-coded thriller and presents a landscape which women across ages have loved. A single-screen theatre owner called to say that he has had multiple afternoon shows with solely women in the audience whistling and cheering to their heart's content. He also said  Bohurupi had recorded the maximum sale of chicken patties in the theatre’s history! It might sound weird but it's such an eye-opening revelation. The masses have spoken and we are grateful.

Bengali films, once lauded for their quality, find themselves falling behind. Do you think Bohurupi was the boost the industry needed?

Nandita: I hope this film ushers in a new era, as we have immense talent here in Bengal. These people need funds to transform their ideas into celluloid. The language of commercial cinema is evolving and if the producers trust these voices, Bengali cinema is certain to bounce back and find its place in the national scheme of things.

Shiboprosad: The national representation of Bengali films has been grossly insufficient. We have had wonderful films over the last few years, but for them to reach these corridors of conversation, the representation needs to be scaled up. People who are representing the industry and the community nationally should take steps to push this forward. The celebration of the Malayalam film industry and initiatives being undertaken there are inspirational and heartwarming. In contrast, loyalty to the Bengali language is waning and thus, the right measures need to be taken for Bengali art to find its way back to the place it once occupied.