Jisshu Sengupta’s role Shakuntala Devi, though small, managed to make an impact – making sure we don’t forget why we enjoy watching him on-screen in the first place.
Yes, of course that smile could charm literally anyone. But we love him for more than just that. From Barfi to Mardaani, Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose: The Forgotten Hero and Mr. and Mrs. Iyer, he has picked a wide variety of roles that have always made him stand out.
The actor has been a part of the regional film industry for over 21 years, with over 65 movies across Hindi, Telugu, Bengali and English. He has even been a part of National Award-winning movies like Abohomaan and Noukadubi. However, his most distinguishing role till date has been in the film, Chitrangada: The Crowning Wish, where he played a man whose trans partner is willing to undergo a sex-change operation so they can adopt a child together.
I think the film was ahead of its time, and it’s a film that will be remembered and appreciated even 20 years from now.
-Jisshu Sengupta told Scroll
In a recent interview, the actor also spoke about the fact that mostly Bengali actors are only offered Bengali roles, a stereotype that Bollywood needs to move past. However, his experiments with Telugu cinema have broadened his horizons.
The actor’s contributions to cinema have spanned across states and decades. So maybe the next time we get a chance to see him on-screen in a Hindi film, it’ll be for more than the 20 minutes in Shakuntala Devi. Jisshu will next be seen in Mahesh Bhatt’s Sadak 2, will this movie give us another chance to fully appreciate his potential?