Kolkata :

She is keen to renew her ties with Kolkata, but rues that she doesn’t have the energy to bridge the gulf created by years of disconnect. Yesteryear actor Tanuja, who enthralled the Bengali audience in films as “Anthony Firingi’, ‘Deya Neya’ and ‘Adalat O Ekti Meye’, will be visiting the city next week after almost two decades to attend the 20th Kolkata International Film Festival (KIFF) beginning on November 10. Tanuja has been invited to inaugurate a retrospective of her Bengali films to be screened at KIFF.

“It will be nice to return to Kolkata, which was once like my second home, after so many years. Sadly, I have lost touch with most of my friends there. On this trip, it won’t be possible to meet them since I will be in Kolkata for just two days. But I plan to visit again in January to attend Saumitra Chatterjee’s 80th birth anniversary celebrations. He is the one in Kolkata I have been in touch with,” Tanuja told ToI from Mumbai on Monday.

It was way back in 1962 that she had starred in her first Bengali film ‘Deya Neya’ opposite Uttam Kumar. She followed it up two more with the Mahanayak — ‘Anthony Firingi’ and ‘Raajkumari’. But Tanuja, now 72, doesn’t have many memories of her working days in Kolkata. “It was so long ago and I was so young. The memories have failed me. Perhaps going back will rekindle some of those,” she said.

Even though she had been part of several Bengali films, Tanuja doesn’t get the chance to watch them any longer. “I have not been able to keep track of Bengali films for many years. I am told that good films are being made there, but here in Mumbai it’s difficult to catch them,” she explained.

Now that she will be in Kolkata, is she open to offers to act in Bengali films? “Well, I am not through with films, nor have I retired from cinema. You need to get tired to retire. I am not tired yet, so……” the actor trailed off.

Tanuja will be reaching the city on November 11.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Kolkata / by Prithvijit Mitra, TNN / November 04th, 2014