‘Raima is the wicked of the two’

A rare interview with Moon Moon, who talks about the three generation of actors in Sen household, which includes her great mother Suchitra Sen

Bronze-complexioned and russet-eyed, this daughter of the archetypal Suchitra Sen surprised Bollywood with her air of bonhomie two decades ago. And even though Moon Moon Sen could never inch her way to the top ranks, the Tollywood native feels that Bollywood has been ‘kind’ to her. “I was married with two children when I entered Bollywood. I had been working in Bengali cinema for quiet sometime. Yet I was offered films here. In fact, I refused most of them.”

‘Bow Barracks Forever’
After a hiatus Moon Moon will now be seen playing an Anglo Indian in Anjan Dutt’s film ‘Bow Barracks Forever’ (PNC). Elaborating on her role she says, “I play a married Anglo-Indian, who keeps waiting for her lover to take her away from her husband. But I am let down and ultimately return to my husband. It’s a small role-just four to five scenes- but it has soul. In fact, all the characters in the film are waiting, hoping but somewhere let down.”

Twin win
The actor, who does plays in Kolkata, enjoys spending time with her actor daughters Riya and Raima Sen. “I look forward to spending time with my girls. I was working when they were small. I am proud about the way they have managed things. Being a star daughter may get you your first film. But ultimately they have to prove themselves.”

Mama’s mantra
Moon Moon, who’s well-versed with the glitter galaxy, gets pragmatic about her girls, “They have to be self-sufficient whether they get married or not. I would be most upset if at some point of time, for whatever reason, they were to stop talking to each other.”

Raima vs Riya
While Raima is often complimented for her marked resemblance to grandmother and legendary actor Suchitra Sen, Rhea is a photographer’s pride for her ‘model perfect’ face. “Raima can be glamorous too but she prefers to remain simple. Funnily, between the two Rhea always gets the blame, because she looks wicked. In fact, Raima is the wicked of the two,” laughs Moon Moon.

Delineating the differences between the two she adds, “Rhea relies much on family support. She needs a lot of love. Raima seems more competent. She has a strange confidence in her.”
Shaadi concerns

“I’d like them to get married. But it’s difficult to get a man who accepts their larger-than-life profession. He shouldn’t be dwarfed by his wife or be jealous of her co-stars. He should be the family type too,” says the concerned mother.

Such is Suchitra
Most loved for her performances in films including ‘Mamta’ and ‘Aandhi’, veteran Suchitra now lives a low-profile life in Kolkata, rarely stepping out. “She has been a wonderful mother to me and a great granny to the girls. While she was strict with me, she has been forgiving and tolerant towards the girls.

Right from her early days, she has been a loner. She interacts with the children, reads, and listens to music,” says Moon Moon of her mother. “Though she has grown old, she is very much clued in to the present times,” ends the daughter who bridges the three generations of the Sen women.

k_farhana@dnaindia.net