A Bengali feature film, “The Unexpected” is set for its world premiere after being officially selected for the in-competition category at the 16th Chicago South Asian Film Festival (CSAFF). This dynamic achievement marks a significant moment for the independent production company, co-founded by two Kolkata-born NHS consultants, Debasish Banerjee and Chandrayee Sengupta. The film's selection at the prestigious festival places a new voice in UK-based Bengali cinema squarely on the global stage. Speaking to Asian Voice, Debashish Banerjee explains the film’s layers and its selection to CSAFF.
Could you describe the core theme you aimed to convey through this story, and how it feels to have your first feature, selected for such a prestigious festival?
‘The Unexpected’ is a Bengali feature film. It comprises of two stories, Mirror in the Water and The Poisonous, that are structurally similar. Both stories deal with the complexities of human nature. ‘Mirror in the Water’ explores love, loss, nostalgia and ambition while ‘The Poisonous’ deals with crime and its retribution. However, both the stories have unexpected endings that make their explorations more telling.Through the two stories in the film, I have attempted to bring a fresh perspective to two most common themes in literature and cinema. I am delighted and honoured to have my debut feature film selected in the in-competition category of the prestigious Chicago South Asian Film Festival to be held from September 14 to 21, 2025.
What does this official selection and world premiere mean for you, both as a debut director and for the future of “The Unexpected”? Can you also explain why the Chicago Film Festival? Or are you planning on getting screened at many other film festivals?
The ‘The Unexpected’ is our independent debut feature film made on a limited budget, and with a very small team but with a lot of passion and hard work. So, the selection of this film in the in-competition category of the Chicago South Asian FilmFestival is extremely encouraging and is a validation of all our efforts. As a director to have my debut feature film selected in the in-competition category of this festival is nothing short of a dream come true. We hope that this official selection of ‘TheUnexpected’ will kindle interest in the cinema lovers and will provide a fillip to its viewership.
What were the specific challenges of making an independent feature film in London, and how did your company’s location and unique identity influence the filmmaking process?
Chandrayee and I had co-founded Eastern Thespians, in 2012 and produced several successful plays. It was during covidthat we conceived the idea of venturing into films. Initially, we had thought of shooting the film on mobile phones, the actors shooting in their homes and sending us the videoclips.
The main challenge of making this film, was funding.Because of financers unwillingness, we decided to self- fund the project. The budget was small, so planning had to be thorough. The entire 90 minutes were shot within 9 days andthe postproduction was completed in six weeks.
The other challenge was finding the right cast in United Kingdom, who are fluent in Bengali with acting skills. But finally, we got the right team of cast and crew who did a great job with utmost sincerity and dedication. Filming in London and in Eastbourne, allowed us to achieve a unique fusion of South Asian and Western aesthetics through the two stories and their settings that lends a unique flavour to this Bengali film.
What specific element or narrative choice in the film led you to choose this title, and how do you hope audiences will interpret its meaning after watching?
I have consciously chosen the ‘Mirror in the Water’ and ‘The Poisonous’, the two stories that comprise the film, to have unexpected endings, other than making the stories more intriguing and entertaining, they have helped explore thecontents of the stories in a more incisive manner. From this perspective, as the title of the film, ‘The Unexpected’ seemed but a natural choice. I hope after watching the film the audience will appreciate the import of its title and will enjoy the pleasure of mulling over more than one interpretative thread to evaluate the contents of the film.
What do you believe is the significance of telling a Bengali story from a diaspora perspective, and how does this cross-cultural journey of your film, from London to Chicago reflect its message?
I consider this as a journey from India to Chicago through London. Most of the characters in the film belong to the Indian diaspora who have settled in UK. The film tells their stories that will be shared with the audience in Chicago –from roots to routes. Though this is a film in Bengali, I have attempted to explore the minds of the characters whose stories transcend geographical, regional and ethnic boundaries. I have not made a film just for the Bengali viewers; I am also trying to reach out to the multicultural audiences who are curious about diaspora stories.