Jisshu Sengupta: Reflections on Acting, *Brown*, and the Industry

Jisshu Sengupta doesn't enter a frame loudly. He just exists there. There’s a stillness about him, almost old-fashioned, which makes you feel like he’s carrying some private weather system just by being beside someone. Across Bengali cinema, Hindi films, TV, Telugu projects and now streaming—he built his career on that quiet magnetism. The man who knows the worth of a pause.

That was the vibe before Brown .

Now it finds a new home in ZEE5’s series, Brown . Set against a Kolkata that feels miles away from those postcard romances you usually see. Abhinay Deo’s psychological crime thriller throws Jisshu into the role of a psychiatrist. He seems to hold crucial fragments of the mystery surrounding Karisma Kapoor’s damaged ex-cop, Rita Brown. It’s a return to a city he thought he knew, but seen through a much colder lens.

When asked why Brown felt different from other thrillers on the streaming platform—the new wave of audiences watching the "new Karisma Kapoor"—he opened up about lessons learned from Rituparno Ghosh and how that changed his approach to acting. He talked about refusing to be trapped by labels: film star, TV star, OTT actor.

He also touched on Piku’s emotional truth, the business headaches facing Bengali cinema, and a simple love for cricket. Sourav Ganguly—the one cricketer he wished he could have played on screen.

Brown peels back layers of mystery, blending suspense with deep personal pain instead of just being procedural. As someone holding so many threads in that narrative, what resonated most deeply with him? It’s a question that stuck.

He recalled the set experience vividly. When they started filming, there was immediate nostalgia for Karisma Kapoor. He remembered those old eras—the David Dhawan films, Govinda and Karisma—cinema that felt like an escape when things were tough. She is a sweetheart, down-to-earth; she doesn't carry herself as some untouchable superstar.

But with Brown , the dynamic shifted. There was a beautiful give-and-take between him and her. Lovely camaraderie amidst all the chaos, the murders, the mysteries—they found good moments together. A genuine connection in the midst of the darkness.

What he realized after finishing it? The way Karisma Kapoor is shown now feels like a different universe entirely. It’s a new image everyone will see. She took such a risk, and she succeeded with awards piling up. An incredible job, he admitted.

The show itself deals with something deeper than just crime. It talks about the inner turmoil. About the war happening inside us. People don't always speak up about depression or suicide. They just live it. Brown taps into that human grey area. We are all shades of grey. That’s what this show captures.

He moves between so many spaces—Bengali cinema, Hindi films, Telugu projects, reality shows, and now OTT series like Brown and The Trial . How does one protect the core self while adapting to those different energies? The answer, he simply stated: "I am a performer."

For him, the medium doesn't matter. It’s just facing a camera—be it film, TV, or OTT. That is the responsibility. Once you commit, you do what you want to do well. There shouldn't be boundaries for artists. He doesn't want labels like "OTT star" or "film star."

He has done over a hundred films across Hindi, Telugu, and Bengali cinema. He’s been a hero, done commercial work back in the early 2000s. But now, exploring acting? The OTT space gives more room for it.

A long time ago, his mentor, Rituparno Ghosh, asked him something profound: "Do you want to be a hero who acts, or an actor who is a hero?" Jisshu’s answer was clear. "I want to be an actor who is a hero." He wants those ten minutes on screen to belong entirely to the character. If the story stops without that character, then that role is worth taking.

He reflects on his journey. Growing up in Kolkata, watching cinema from Ritwik Ghatak or Satyajit Ray—that was a different kind of love for the city. But directors like Abhinay and Amogh have captured Kolkata in Brown in a way he hasn't seen before. It’s incredible. People who see the city in different lights are going to see something new here.

The industry itself is driven by money, that much is undeniable. When you invest capital, the industry grows. When the business expands, more money flows in. It’s a cycle. The Bengali film industry fights for it. They win National Awards annually. But there's a split between commercial films and art films. Good cinema versus bad cinema. He still prioritizes the commercial side because it makes money. That is entertainment-driven cinema.

Still, the push is happening. People are making things bigger every year. Hopefully, in a few years, they’ll catch up on budget. They have brilliant technicians back home.

He once gave up competitive cricket for acting aspirations. Now he carries that sporting spirit forward with the Celebrity Cricket League. Where does the patience needed on the pitch translate to acting? He just offered one thought: If God asks what he wants in life, he’d ask to go back to cricket, wanting to be twenty years younger.

He still loves cricket. There is the Celebrity Cricket League happening between eight industries yearly. Last year was the 11th time around, and he captains the Bengal team. He feels fortunate for that space.

Would he do a biopic? He would love to. If the chance comes. Which cricketer? Dada, Sourav Ganguly. Jisshu knows his struggle from watching him go to Australia in the nineties. He wants to play that role. But time moves on fast.

What’s next after Brown ? Home production work, Abhimaan , releasing soon. Prosenjit Chatterjee and Subhashree are involved; it's a musical with seven songs. And he’s shooting for Rohit Shetty right now. Hoping to resume filming around August or September. Two projects right now. That’s the current pipeline.