About Tollywood
Speaking of Kolkata's Tinsel Town, Ritu says, "Tollywood is a place where the atmosphere is essentially a mixed one. Like everything else, it has its pro's and con's. Those who have been faithfully attached to it have flourished. Very few people realize that the pioneers of film culture have all been from Tollywood - Ritwik Ghatak, Piyush Basu, Salil Dutta and even Raj Kapoor."

Rituparna feels that there is a lot of talent in Tollywood, but that technologically, it is way behind Bollywood and the Southern Film Industry. She also feels that funds are a problem because "there is a dearth of good directors and script-writers here, which makes financers either reluctant or very wary about investing in Tollywood."

Ritu cites Babul Bose, Dilip & Samir Sen and Ashok Bhadra as some of the best music directors around in Tollywood today. She also feels that the Kolkata industry is sustained by only a handful of competent scriptwriters, notably Anjan Choudhuri, Rituparno Ghosh, Aparna Sen, Monotosh Roychoudhury, Prabhat Roy, Salil and Rajarshi.

About Co-Artistes
Deepankar Dey: "Tito-da (as he's fondly called) is a very versatile, discerning and composed actor. How else can one do films as diverse in nature as Bancharamer Bagan, Poroma and Swet Patharer Thala? I owe him a lot since it was he who recommended me to Anandabazar Productions to act in Cinemawala, which was a big break for me.

Aparna Sen: "I did my first film with her. She has always taken up very challenging work. She is extremely focused and diligent and as a director, she inspires her actors to put in their best in every performance. I guess the reason behind this is that throughout her career she has worked with the best of directors, such as Satyajit Ray and Mrinal Sen and is passing on the values she has imbibed from them.

Soumitra Chatterjee: "Soumitra-kaku is an actor with no technical boundaries whatsoever. He is possessed of unlimited acting prowess. I can't begin to praise him because nothing I say will suffice. He is an excellent orator and always makes it a point to recite Tagore's poems to me when we are together. Soumitra-kaku is an ardent lover of theatre. He believes that it is only on stage that an actor can truly unfold his talent totally and hone his skills."

Supriya Devi: "I worked with Supriya Devi in Attiya Sajan. She is a very motherly person and an extremely sensitive actress who excels at emotional roles."

She has performed in abroad several times. Dance is Rituparna’s passion. She learnt classical dance from the very beginning. She has created her own dance troupe. She choreographs her own staff. Last few years she has given tribute to Tagore by performing his dance dramas. – She has choreographed Tagore’s dance in different way. Chandalika, Shyama, Shapmochon and recently Mayar Khela are her creations.

According to this seasoned young actress, "acting involves working around the clock every day in two or three shifts and it takes the best of your time and energy. There's hardly any time to think about yourself and your personal life. That is the worst part of it. Though a lot of hard work goes into the making of a good film, when you complete it and your work is appreciated, it is a very satisfying feeling."

As far as the acting process is concerned, Ritu's approach to it is as follows:

"When I'm given a particular scene which bears no similarity to my life, I try to figure out exactly how the director is looking at it and try to follow him and his suggestions to the fullest. When the role is one that is easy for me to identify with, I try to draw upon my own personal experiences to recreate a certain mood or atmosphere. One other thing which I feel is extremely important for any actor/actress is the power of observation. I make a conscious effort to observe the people around me. This faculty is particularly helpful when one does not have a solid acting background such as theatre."

Ritu feels that people from a theatre background normally have a lot of mature acting experience and skills. The stage in her opinion, is an incredible training ground and it is the best medium when it comes to communicating with an audience. In her own words, "It is fulfilling for an actor to be on stage because you get an instant response from the audience. It teaches you how to be spontaneous, stage free, makes you comfortable with the lights and on the whole makes you technically very sound and gives you the inherent confidence to look up to something better."