Satyajit Ray’s immortal creation Feluda, the archetypal, cerebral Bengali sleuth, occupies a special place in the heart of every Bengali. His razor-sharp intellect, his sense of humour, his sarcasm, his passion for solving crimes and his ability to get the better of the most dangerous of villains are what make him special and inimitable. Feluda novels that have been adapted for the screen have also been extremely popular with the audience. The latest Feluda detective novel to be transformed into a web series is Shabash Feluda: Gangtok e Gondogol, a 10-episode thriller directed by noted director Arindam Sil.As a run-up to its launch on May 5, a two-day fun-filled Feluda-themed event Feluda Fair, in association with The Telegraph, was organised by Zee 5 at City Centre Salt Lake, Kund area on April 15 and 16.
Director Arindam Sil (second from left) addressed the audience on the first day of the fair during an entertaining interactive session hosted by emcee Kunal (extreme right). Also present on stage were actors Debopriyo Mukherjee (extreme left), Rudranil Ghosh (centre) and Parambrata Chatterjee (second from right).
The décor, ambience and activities of the fair were inspired by Feluda and other unforgettable characters of the novels, or memorable moments from the thriller novels. There were 14 stalls with games, artworks, contests, food and beverages, a dedicated photo zone and more, all of which drew a huge number of visitors who explored the fair and indulged in the various attractively designed activities.On the inaugural evening, the cast and crew of Shabash Feluda: Gangtok e Gondogol —Parambrata Chatterjee (Feluda), Arindam Sil (director), Rudranil Ghosh (Nishikanto) and Debopriyo Mukherjee (Inspector Gaitonde) — visited the fair. Emcee Kunal hosted a fun and informative interaction with the star participants. The first look of Shabash Feluda was then launched in the presence of a delighted audience. They then visited the stalls, interacted with the visitors and clicked photographs with them.Day 2 witnessed a round table discussion featuring Arindam Sil, Rwitobroto Mukherjee (Topshe) and Debopriyo Mukherjee, hosted by emcee Pronam. The discussion focused on the ways in which Feluda and the story have been given a contemporary look and feel for this web series. The discussion also touched upon how this series was the makers’ way of paying tribute to the genius of Ray and what viewers can expect from the upcoming series.
