I avoid seeing my movies: Victor Banerjee

Seasoned actor Victor Banerjee doesn't watch his movies as he "hates to look" at himself on screen.

"I don't see any of my movies. But Ghare Baire and Hullabaloo Over Georgie and Bonnie's Pictures were the exceptions," Mr Banerjee, who was in the city for the Osian's festival, said.

"After the release of Hullabaloo Over Georgie and Bonnie's Pictures (Merchant Ivory Productions) in 1978, my co-star Peggy Ashcroft persuaded me to buy two tickets in London and watch it along with her.

"Then, Satyajit Ray forced me to see Ghare Baire at Gorky Sadan in Kolkata," he said.

Mr Banerjee, who plays the grandfather in Bidyut Kotoky's Ekhon Nodir Nedekha Xipaare, did not watch the world premiere of the bilingual film at Osian's Cinefan on Sunday (July 30, 2012).

"I hate to look at myself on screen. I don't want to end up confused thinking which side of my face look better before the camera," he reasons.

According to the 66-year-old, acting is a hobby that has fortunately paid for him.

"I lived in the shadow of great people and whatever I have achieved is because of their greatness," he said.

Having acted for 35 years now, the toughest time he had was during the shooting of Satyajit Ray's Shatranj Ke Khiladi.

"My knowledge of Urdu was minimal and I lied that I knew the language well. Later with the help of Urdu-speaking experts, I was able to deliver my lines," he recalled.