Sudipto Sen: A true event must disturb me, not let me sleep, and compel me to tell it

From The Last Monk to films such as The Kerala Story and Bastar: The Naxal Story, Sudipto Sen has consistently worked on stories inspired by real events. For Sudipto, cinema is a medium to interpret reality through research and narrative structure. “It’s organic and part of my psyche as a socially conscious filmmaker. Stark realities conveyed in a fictionalised medium such as cinema are a way forward for me,” he says about his preference for true-based stories. At the centre of his work is the attempt to revisit lesser-discussed narratives. He says, “My aim is to represent the hidden truth of many twisted histories. The courage or liberty to speak out stems from my self-belief as an artiste.”His process begins with an emotional response to an incident. He says, “Foremost, a true event, however insignificant it may look at the surface level, needs to hit my mind and heart. It should inspire me, disturb me, not let me sleep, but compel me to dwell on it. After conducting in-depth research of the real incident, the real journey starts in the form of a story and then turns into a full-fledged film screenplay.”

When it comes to casting, Sudipto prioritises suitability over visibility.

He says, “To find the right actors and not stars is a tiresome but enjoyable task. Later, shooting becomes relatively easy with my carefully chosen technicians. The locations in my film are atmospheric, believable spaces where my story and actors grow and shine, as intended.”His guiding principle remains clear. “To tell the truth. That’s the mantra or POV of my journey as a filmmaker,” he says. Sudipto began with the investigative short The Other Wealth in 1996 and went on to make several documentaries between 1997 and 2003.

His subsequent feature films continued to draw from real incidents and socio-political themes. Looking ahead, he says the direction remains consistent. “There are a few unique film subjects currently under the developmental phase and also at the shooting-ready stage. The common thread is the true inspiring incident in all projects. Talks are in an advanced stage about a couple of international films with eminent artistes and technicians,” he concludes.