For me, just like thousands of other Bengali kids growing up in the early 1990s, the Charminar-puffing sleuth was my superhero, my idol. Feluda was firmly entrenched in my psyche from a very tender age, probably because Jawto Kando Kathmandute, along with Treasure Island, were the first books I owned and read on my own as a kid. And although I have directed a couple of adaptations of Byomkesh on screen, stories of the Satyanweshi came in a lot later, and rightly so, as Saradindu’s stories were primarily aimed at adults, and one needed a certain amount of intellectual maturity to adore the writer’s genius.
The ‘mogojastro’ relying, martial arts-trained sleuth captured my imagination during the readings and the manic re-reads (which continues till date) of the tales of complex murders, case of mistaken identities, set amongst picturesque cities and landscapes, that infused a sense of wanderlust in me. I fantasised being not the detective himself, but his sidekick — Topshe.
The beauty is that Feluda transcends across generations. As the father of a two-year-old, I would definitely love to introduce my child to Feluda stories one day — they are thrilling and adventurous, yet are not violent and gory; they promote morality, and are a source of general knowledge in the most entertaining way.
Anirban as Jatayu in Chhinnomostar Obhishap. Sourced by The Telegraph
Feluda Pherot (directed by Srijit Mukherji) transported me back to my childhood instantly and mainly because it is a very, very faithful screen adaptation of the original story. Srijit Mukherji plays a textbook innings this time, and intentionally tugs at the nostalgia of the audience — a very smart approach, which is probably a bit ‘safe’ and takes the audience back to the golden years of Sonar Kella and Joy Baba Felunath. Now, when there is acceptance among the majority of the viewers, I am sure the director will bring in more personal touches to the narrative in the future seasons. Good stroke indeed!
With camera frames, costumes, and the overall scheme referenced from original Ray illustrations, the ‘look’ part is spot on. And so is the casting. Even the secondary and tertiary characters have been cast to perfection, and they all put up a great show.
Tota Roy Choudhury is a criminally underutilised actor. From great physique to a deep voice, he has it all, along with great acting abilities and years of experience, and I am so happy that he has landed the role of Feluda — perhaps one of the most sought-after and prestigious roles in Bengali cinema.
With his smart and sharp mannerisms, his sarcasm, or his illuminating interactions with Jatayu and Topshe and occasional cold stares, I personally felt he has raw authenticity in his performance. It is not an easy task to fill the shoes of legends like Soumitra Chatterjee, the original Feluda, or my favourite Sabyasachi Chakrabarty, another stalwart, who became synonymous with the sleuth in the past.
As a result of his homework, and in the process of trying to add minute details to his portrayal, Tota comes across a bit self- conscious in a few scenes. And it’s natural. I hope with more seasons, the dynamics between the trio will become more seamless and eased.
Feluda’s novelist friend Lalmohan Ganguly aka Jatayu is a key player in the success of the stories. His idiosyncrasies and humour provide relief to the readers, and even play a major role in keeping the text fresh even after several re-reads.
And presently, there is simply no one who suits this character better than Anirban Chakrabarti. Having collaborated with him in my web show Lalbazaar, I have seen how intelligent and balanced an actor he is. He has made the character his own, without even trying to get into the zone of the great Santosh Dutta, which is a wise and gutsy decision. Kalpan makes a good Topshe, and helps the narrator of the stories come alive on screen.
What I find unique about Feluda and most other Satyajit Ray stories is that one can easily visualise the scenes while reading them — they are almost like screenplays. The allure of Chhinnomostar Obhishap lies in a lot of elements — riddles, a tiger that escaped from a circus, great visuals — and with the consummate Srijit Mukherji writing and directing it, how far could one go wrong? The original story itself was never meant to be a ‘fast-moving thriller’. But Srijit understands the pulse of the millenials — perhaps his biggest audience, and hence stays relevant to their changing viewing habits. The screenplay moves at a firm speed, and whenever there is the slightest chance of the pace falling, he starts travelling between two time zones — a method that not only holds back the audience to their seats, but also heightens tension.
Being a maker myself, if during a film, my mind wanders too much into the technical nitty-gritties, I know that there is something wrong! This Feluda, however, scores brownie points in the technical areas. Camerawork by Supriyo Dutta is simple yet effective, and Pronoy’s editing is apt. Joy Sarkar’s background score is fresh, while retaining the original flavour of Ray’s music. Sabarni Das’ costumes, Tanmoy Chakraborty’s art and Debojyoti Ghosh’s colour grade help heighten the series visually.
Comparisons are inevitable when it comes to adapting popular literature to the screen, and having adapted Byomkesh, Tenida and Bimal-Kumar in films, I know how over-fastidious the audience can be! I feel if Conan Doyle’s original text can co-exist with diverse versions of Robert Downey Jr., Benedict Cumberbatch and Jonny Lee Miller, why can’t this version of Feluda survive as a different entity altogether?
For those seeking adventure and nostalgia, Feluda Pherot is a very entertaining break from the grind.
