Strangely, it took a Bollywood filmmaker to bring two of Bengal’s superstars, Prosenjit Chatterjee and Jeet, together on screen. The duo headlines creator Neeraj Pandey’s Khakee: The Bengal Chapter, which explores the underbelly of the state’s political landscape of the 2000s. “For years, Bengal has had stories that deserved to be told on a national platform. Khakee: The Bengal Chapter finally does that,” says Prosenjit, as we sit down for a chat in a five-star suite overlooking Kolkata’s iconic Victoria Memorial.

Helmed by Tushar Kanti Ray and Debatma Mandal, the Netflix series boasts an ensemble cast that includes Saswata Chatterjee, Chitrangda Singh, Parambrata Chatterjee and Ritwik Bhowmik. For Prosenjit, the series is a means to introduce the entire country to the Bengali film industry’s talent. “A show like this offers a massive opportunity not just for actors, but also for the entire industry. The storytelling is different, the characterisations are unique, yet everything is deeply rooted in Bengal. This is a huge exposure for our talent on a national stage. People often categorise projects as ‘mainstream’. I personally don’t believe in those rigid definitions, but if you consider this a mainstream venture, then yes, it was necessary for Bengal’s actors and storytellers to find national access,” states Prosenjit.