Bengali film star Mimi Chakraborty created ripples on social media with her bikini shots from Chokher Neele song in Nandita Roy-Shiboprosad Mukherjee's Durga Puja release, Raktabeej 2, where she reprises her cop role from the first installment. In a candid chat with IBNS correspondent Souvik Ghosh by the river Hooghly (Ganges) in Kolkata, Mimi talks about the film, breaks silence on speculations of her Bollywood journey and more... Excerpts...

Q. Your first look poster riding a bike as a cop during Raktabeej had gone viral. Ahead of the sequel's release, it is the bikini picture that has left the netizens mesmerised and they also compared you with Deepika Padukone and Kiara Advani's similar looks. How would you react to this?

A. It's very kind and generous of everyone that they have compared me with the icons the nation has but I believe in my individuality and I have never wanted to be anyone else but me. I have worked literally very hard on myself for the transformation I did. Shibu-da (Shiboproad Mukherjee) had proposed to me the idea (bikini sequence) which I agreed to. I just needed the hard work to pull it off.

Mimi Chakraborty in bikini in Raktabeej 2. Photo: Windows Production

I have always believed in hard work so I thought of giving my best. Moreover, I had to offer something new to the audience. Just like me playing a cop and riding a bullet (bike) in Raktabeej were new, my song sequence in the sequel is a fresh offering to the audience this time.

Q. Shiboprosad Mukherjee was very careful of you not looking glamorous as a cop in Raktabeej. But you were showcased in a glamorous avatar in a song in the sequel!

A. I think Sanjukta's (Burdwan SP Sanjukta Mitra, Mimi's character) look in the uniform of a cop without makeup is itself glamorous. I feel extremely confident as Sanjukta wearing the uniform and carrying the gun. In the first part, I was not even a part of any song sequence so I wanted it badly this time. I pestered the makers a lot to get a song sequence and it eventually happened in Raktabeej 2 (laughs).

Photo: Avishek Mitra/IBNS

Q. The audience is mesmerised by your bikini shots but what goes unsaid is the kind of hard work that one needs to put in to slip into a bikini. How challenging was it for you?

A. One hundred percent. It was very challenging, especially for someone like me who didn't take the help of fat burners. It was tougher for me because I am a complete vegetarian and we all know how much protein is important for the cuts in the body. Moreover, I am a vegan so I don't consume any lactose product majorly and as a result it became even more challenging for me to balance the diet. It was my trainer who helped me throughout the process.

I can be flexible with my diet in accordance with the schedule for a film, but not while wearing a two-piece because there is nothing to hide. I would rather not do the bikini sequence than look awful on the big screens. As I had taken up the assignment, I tried my best to look impeccable.

Mimi Chakraborty during gym session. Photo: Screen-grab/Mimi Chakraborty Instagram reel

Q. You were well aware of the nuances of the character Sanjukta Mitra already by Raktabeej 2 shooting. Moreover, you always remain prepared with the lines. What was your new exploration this time?

A. Yes, the character was already built up. In the meantime, two years have passed and things went on according to the script. Her funny elements, which were noticed in the first installment, have been kept intact in Raktabeej 2. So, I didn't have to build the character afresh.

I just enhanced whatever was already existing like the fight sequences. When it comes to mugging up the dialogues, I visualise the scenes while reading a script like we all do during reading a book. It was more of an exploration of how I could enhance the elements which were already established in the first part.

Q. You were initially skeptical to dive into OTT but went on to feature in two series in two years. Do you intend to balance films and OTT now?

A. Yes, absolutely, provided I get an opportunity to work on scripts like Dainee and Jaha Bolibo Shotto Bolibo. I want to work on scripts that have a message and are not brainless. I want to do substantial work. Dainee carried a message against a practice. Hailing from interiors, I had heard about such practices shown in Dainee and that drew me more to the story. It went on to become a successful series contrary to what people had initially predicted.

Mimi Chakraborty as a cop in Raktabeej 2. Photo: Screen-grab from teaser video

Q. You are a product of commercial films, which are slowly reviving in the Bengali film circuit after a considerable lull period. Are you interested in being a part of commercial cinema again?

A. I haven't taken a break from commercial films. It was rather the commercial cinema which was almost non-existent in recent times. I will definitely want to be a part of such films with quality starcast. The basis of contemporary commercial films is a quality story. I always love to work on commercial films that anyway have their own fan following.

My fans, who loved me exclusively for Gaaner Oparey, were at one point upset at me for diverting into commercial films. But thankfully, I could maintain a balance between genres over the years. I think I was very grateful that I got to explore diverse content much before this trend started. Moreover, I believe an actor should be able to grasp any character.

Photo: Avishek Mitra/IBNS

Q. You try to remain in touch with the fans but any popular actor should ideally maintain some distance from the followers to keep the curiosity alive. How do you maintain the thin line?

A. I am bound to reach out to my fans for the sake of my profession. My fans are supremely important to me because whatever I have achieved in my career is because of them. As a public figure, I am aware of the fact that the biggest pie of my life will be consumed, debated and discussed by people. But I want to keep five percent of my life as private as I can. I will do my best to protect it. So I keep a distance from a few things which I can. I choose not to go to parties, premieres or anywhere but my house. I know the art to differentiate between my professional and personal lives. I feel something should be kept under the wrap. The less stars are visible, the better.

Q. Reports suggest you are set to play Dona Ganguly in Sourav Ganguly's upcoming biopic. Any update on that? Did you have any discussion with the makers?

A. Nothing happened between us. The speculations and media reports will lead to further delays even if anybody thought of it. I will definitely communicate to the press and people if something happens like this. I personally do not have any confirmation from any production house. I would also request all press and media to stop writing news like this. It would be better for the media to call me up and get updates if any.

Photo: Avishek Mitra/IBNS

Q. How do you see Artificial Intelligence as a threat to an actor's job just like in any other profession?

A. I think people initially have a lot of thoughts about anything that evolves but everything gets balanced with time. We should hit the balance in the right way so that everything can co-exist. It was the same scenario when social media emerged but now the platforms are generating revenues for us! Everything is evolving. I am too small a medium to talk about this. It's better not to talk about something which I don't have much idea about. I look at this as a new evolution and there should be a balance between everything.

(Photos by Avishek Mitra/IBNS)