Byomkesh maker Arindam Sil wants Feluda rights

“I have read in newspapers that Babuda (Sandip) has given permission to (Bollywood filmmaker) Pradeep Sarkar to make a Hindi film inspired by ‘Sonar Kella’.

“But the main characters of Feluda, his assistant Topshe and writer-friend Jatayu cannot be referred to in a similar way in the new film. I wish to be given similar rights in Bengali by him for two of his remaining works,” Arindam told PTI on the sidelines of Apeejay Bangla Sahityo Utsob 2016.

Sandip, busy with post-production work of Double Feluda, featuring two Feluda stories in one film, could not be immediately contacted for a response but he had in the past expressed his unwillingness to give Bengali film rights on any of Feluda stories.

Arindam also advocated the need for taking forward the stories of hugely popular Bengali writers like Ray and Saradindu so that the pool of stories never dry up and competent writers can churn out more projects once all the available source is exhausted.

Citing an example, he said, he has bought the rights of an unfinished Byomkesh story which will be completed by a current writer for making the film. Arindam said, “The world over it has become a trend with changing times. Think about Sherlock Holmes. Why can’t our filmmakers take works of Ray’s ‘Feluda’, Saradindu’s ‘Byomkesh’ beyond their known and published writings?”

Watch: Official Teaser | Har Har Byomkesh | Abir | Ritwik | Sohini | Arindam Sil | 2015

Actor Sabyasachi Chakraborty, who essayed the role of Feluda in almost all movies on the detective made by Sandip, said, “Sandip Ray will never try his hand at writing new stories on Feluda or touch his father’s work. Babuda has a different way of thinking and craft of filmmaking which is different from Arindam’s.”

In Double Feluda, Sabyasachi has made a comeback as Feluda after Royal Bengal Rahasyo (2011).

Both Double Feluda and Byomkesh Parbo will be released in the end of this December.