Kolkata, Jul 1 (PTI) West Bengal Education Minister Bratya Basu, a key member of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's cabinet and also a renowned theatre personality and film actor, said his identity as a politician will never overshadow that of an artiste.

Basu has essayed the role of eminent Bengali poet Jibanananda Das in the film 'Jhora Palok' (fallen feathers), which has recently been released in theatres.

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He has acted in 29 films since 2005, and has been critically acclaimed for his roles in movies such as 'Herbert', 'Kaalbela' (Calcutta my love), 'Ichhe' (wish), 'Muktodhara' (free flow), 'Hemlock Society', 'Sunglass', 'Double Feluda', 'Ashamapto' (incomplete) and 'Manikbabur Megh' (The Cloud and the Man).

"My party Trinamool Congress has given me a lot of responsibilities in overcoming challenges posed by the opposition and discharging my duties as the education minister. I do those to the best of my abilities. But my identity as a politician will never overshadow that of an artiste. I will never let that happen," Basu told PTI in an interview.

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Asked how he spends leisure time amid his hectic schedule, the actor said, "I watch movies, read articles, books and write something every day."

Basu, whose plays such as 'Winkle Twinkle', 'Sateroi July' (July 17), 'Mumbai Nights' and 'Ruddhasangeet' (the throttled singer and his music) were among those critically acclaimed, said that he will continue acting on stage and in films despite mounting responsibilities on the political front "to keep his artiste self alive".

On his portrayal of Jibanananda Das, a 20th-century modernist poet whose works are still very popular among Bengali readers, the versatile actor said he initially wondered whether he would be able to do justice to the character but director Sayantan Mukherjee insisted saying he had only Basu in his mind while as the lead.

Basu said the film portrays the poet's personal life, financial condition, equations with his wife Labanyaprabha Das and philosophy about women.

"The director has brought forth the sexual metaphor, implicit in Das's poems, in a beautiful way in the script," Basu said.

To get into the skin of the character, the actor said he read a biography of Das written by a Bangladeshi writer and other books, besides re-reading the bard's poems.

No Bengali film had so far been made on Das, who was a sensitive personality, he said.

Asked about his experience of working with well-known Bangladeshi actress Jaya Ahsan, Basu said, "This was my first work with her. She is an amazing actress to work with. She fitted the role of Labanyaprabha."

The actor said he was enthusiastic about his portrayal of legendary playwright Girish Ghosh in an upcoming Srijit Mukherji film and has started preparations for the character.

Basu, the maker of four movies including the critically acclaimed 'Dictionary' starring renowned Bangladeshi actor Mosharraf Karim, said his another directorial venture 'Hubba' is on the cards, without delving much into it.

He was elected to the West Bengal assembly in 2011. Prior to that, he had lent support to an anti-farm land acquisition movement spearheaded by Mamata Banerjee during the Left Front rule and had become one of the prominent intellectuals rallying behind the TMC supremo's cause.

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