Congratulations Soumitro Kaku on winning the National Award for the best actor in a leading role…

Thank you, but I'm not really excited about it. At this stage of my career, awards hardly matter. I have seen too many shades of life to be affected by these things.

But the National Award is considered to be the highest honour.

Earlier it might have been so, but not anymore. There is too much lobbying and politics in the decision making process nowadays. Moreover, I feel the awards have been quite inconsistent for the past few years.

You were shortlisted in the best actor category a few years ago for Goutam Ghose's Dekha, but the award went to someone else. Were you disappointed?

Not really. See, things like this happen and such disappointments are a part of one's career. My disillusionment with the award committee has nothing to do with me winning or not winning the award.

Tell us about your role in Podokkhep.

I play a retired man in the film who has to renegotiate with himself, his daughter, and with the little child Trisha, whose parents, the Sens, move in as neighbours. The film is primarily about his relationship with his daughter.

Would you say this is your best performance?

Laughs). How can I say that? In my career spanning more than five decades, I've worked with some of the most remarkable directors of our times. I have had the opportunity to play a host of complex characters; I really can't pick any one of them as a favourite.

Every time one thinks of you Satyajit Ray also comes into the mind. Tell us about your association with him.

What more can I say about him? He was a mentor, a guide and a friend. The fact that his films still continue to touch our lives only asserts the fact that he was a maestro.

You immortalised Ray's Feluda. What do you think about the new Feluda films?

People keep asking me this question. All I can say that I feel Sandip (Sandip Ray) has done a great job in making the films more contemporary. Sabyasachi is my favourite actor of this generation and he makes for a dashing yet serious Feluda. I remember Sabyasachi as a young struggling actor who used to frequent my house. He has certainly come a long way.

You have worked with many contemporary directors like Goutam Ghose and Rituparno Ghosh. Do you have a favourite?

I like working with all of them, which is why I accept their films. I can't pick any one favourite. (Smiles).

What about Sandip Ray?