There are actors. There are stars. And then, there is Prosenjit. He's an era unto himself. Over 50 years in the business and still as relevant, as sought-after, and as quietly magnetic as ever. He began as a child artiste, in a film with none other than Hrishikesh Mukherjee, and went on to carve a journey that defies easy definitions. What's truly remarkable is the grace with which he has straddled both worlds, mainstream commercial cinema and the more meditative lanes of parallel and art-house filmmaking. You have Kaushik Ganguly, Shiboprosad Mukherjee, Nandita Roy and Srijit Mukherji on one side, and on the other, cinematic maestros like Rituparno Ghosh, Buddhadeb Dasgupta and Goutam Ghose. And in all these worlds, he is equally at home. But what stands out, more than the body of work, more than the stardom that refuses to dim, is the man himself, his humility, his curiosity, his hunger to keep reinventing. There was a Mahanayak in Calcutta called Uttam Kumar. And now, I find myself sitting in front of yet another legend, Prosenjit Chatterjee. You started acting at six, as a child artiste What would you say to that young Bumba da today? Yes, most people still call me Bumba da. It began in Kolkata and has caught on in Mumbai too. My first film, Chotto Jiggasha, happened when I was just six and a half, it was produced by my father and directed by the late Hrishikesh Mukherjee. Back then, little Bumba had no idea he'd grow up to be a hero; it all felt like play. But somewhere along the way, I realised I had to find my own identity, my own philosophy. That shift happened early, around 18 or 19, when I debuted as a lead in Duti Pata, which became a big hit. You worked early on with Uttam Kumar as well. I was truly blessed. Not many know about Dui Prithibi, a film from the later part of Uttam Kumar's career. I was around 15 when, one morning, he called my mother and said, "Send Bumba to the studio." I hadn't planned on joining films then. But he explained he was playing an older character with a parallel young love story and I was to play that part. It was surreal. I had no idea we'd lose him so soon. To share the screen with him, to be part of his film, is something I'll always cherish. Supriya Aunty even joked, "You've got this good-looking Bumba to play your younger self, who'll play mine?" Now, when I revisit those scenes, it feels like magic, something only God could've made possible. Do you remember any kind of conversations, like any kind of advice or something that Uttam Kumar said that stayed with you? Yes, he was about to start a film with me and Shoma, Benu aunty's daughter, when we were both in our teens. It was a thriller, with Soumitra Chatterjee in a double role: one good, one evil. The script was ready, the photo shoot was done and Uttam Jethu was directing it himself. I had the rare opportunity to see that side of him up close. My father and he were like brothers. His younger brother, Guru Jethu (Tarun Kumar), was actually my father's closest friend. In fact, when Uttam Kumar didn't take up Maya Mriga, it became my father's first film as a hero. So our families were deeply connected. What stays with me is the warmth. He'd come sit with me during dubbing, with people like Sushil Majumdar around. I feel truly blessed to have been in the presence of such legends, even if only briefly. Let's talk about those times... Today, parties are all big events in five-star hotels. But back then, things were more intimate, whether in Kolkata or Mumbai. I still remember, December 14 is my father's birthday and it's also Raj Kapoor ji's. They would plan, saying, "This year, you host on the 14th, I'll do mine on the 15th." There was a deep camaraderie among actors then. People like Madhabi Aunty, (Madhabi Mukherjee) whom everyone knows as Charulata, were all part of that close-knit world. It was less about glamour, more about warmth and connection. Even today, she doesn't see me as a star. She always says, "You were the first person who ever called me 'Ma.' At the time, she wasn't married. She took me in like her own. In many ways, she considers me her first son, and still says so to this day. She played your mother in a film? In Chotto Jigasha. You've clearly shared deep, familial bonds with many in the industry. Yes, I've been truly blessed. I've known Rakhee Aunty and Moushumi di for ages. Moushumi di was close to my parents and to Tarun Majumdar, our families were deeply connected. Even today, when you see us together, the affection is real. They don't treat me like a star, they treat me like a bachcha. Back then, there was no vanity. Big stars shared the same makeup room, food was served on banana leaves and everyone ate together. I miss that camaraderie. Even now, I don't rush to my vanity van. I head to the chai counter, ask for a milky tea (though I don't drink it), and spend half an hour chatting with the crew. It keeps me grounded. I still believe cinema is a collective effort, actors, directors, lightme