Anindita Sarbadhicari, Sagnik, Saswata Chatterjee, June Maliah and Shahana Chatterjee in a lighter moment. PHOTO: ALIK SARCAR

“Most parents can’t choose the kind of child they want. Ranjan and Nayan could,” said Anindita Sarbadhicari. “So they chose Pori, a 6-year-old orphan who is HIV+.” She was speaking of her characters in the telefilm, Sonar Katthi, Rupor Katthi (story, screenplay and direction) which she was shooting for World AIDS Day (December 1). Last year, too, she had made a telefilm for the same cause, “the important thing being not to be preachy, yet talking about the terrible problems surrounding this disease”.

While Saswata and June play Ranjan and Nayan, Madhuchhanda is Pori, “the child who would need them more than any other child in the world”. Then there is Sagnik who plays an ex-marine engineer and gay, Shahana Chatterjee portraying a model and actress, Rajesh Gupta doing the role of a truck driver, Sujata the widow of a BSF jawan, all AIDS-affected victims. And you have Soumitra Chatterjee who runs an orphanage for HIV and AIDS orphans. He is an ex-Army doctor ? himself fighting the deadly virus in his blood. “It was very exciting for me to be working with Soumitra Chatterjee,” gushed Anindita, “and we have real doctors, Dr Koushik Ghosh and Dr Ellorasree Chakroborty, playing vital roles. And a large Great Dane in a special character called Roddur!”

All the characters were sitting in a circle having a kind of confessional therapy adda, which included the low-profile TV debutante Shahana, who would merge with the backdrop between takes, quietly studying her lines. And the irrepressible Saswata who was hardly joking when he was pointing out the dangerous railing of the set coming apart in Bharatlaxmi Studio. Ominous.

Anil Grover

Scheduled telecast: ETV Bangla; Nov 27, 9:30pm