For the world outside Bengal, Satyajit Ray is revered as the greatest Indian filmmaker. But for generations of Bengalis, he is the creator of Feluda. Prodosh Chandra Mitra a.k.a. Feluda first appeared in the Bengali children’s magazine Sandesh in 1965, and it was an immediate sensation spawning a series of short stories and novels. Taking a leaf out of Sherlock Holmes, Ray created Feluda as a resident of 21 Rajani Sen Road, and a man of sharp analytical skills and wry humour. With his sidekick Topshe, the narrator of the stories, and thriller writer Lalmohan Ganguly a.k.a. Jatayu, Feluda has solved one puzzling mystery after another, and is adored by children and adults alike.
Now in his 51st year of playing detective, Feluda will be seen in yet another movie adaptation. Satyajit Ray’s son Sandip who has already adapted several of the stories, gives us a double bill this time. Double Feluda that releases nationwide on December 16 will feature two stories — Samaddarer Chabi and Golokdham Rahasya — rolled into one, pre- and post -interval. The Hindu spoke to the younger Ray about Feluda’s evolution, taking the safe route to please fans, and the inevitable comparison with his father’s films. Edited excerpts from the interview:
What do you think is different about Double Feluda as compared to the other films?
Both the stories are different, and the mystery element is extremely strong. We have also brought Sabyasachi Chakraborty back as Feluda. We are celebrating Feluda this time. The title will be different, but most importantly, the end scroll will be sort of a montage, with interviews from the publication world to film world with actors who have acted in both Baba and my films, and manuscripts of my father will be shown.
There are also talks about a Feluda exhibition with all the memorabilia.
We have a Ray society in [Kolkata], and every year, we hold exhibitions, seminars, lectures. This January, there will be an exhibition dedicated to Feluda with illustrations, manuscripts and photographs. All the Feludas [actors who have portrayed the sleuth] will be present.
Even Sherlock Holmes has seen many reintroductions. Have you ever considered reintroducing Feluda in a new way?
I know Sherlock has been reinterpreted, but I don’t want to tamper with Feluda, because the stories are so well written, and they are so fluid. Well, I have introduced mobiles and new technology, but Feluda doesn’t use a mobile. He doesn’t use a tablet or whatever. All the other characters if required, they use mobiles.
So you think Feluda won’t use any smartphone in today’s times?
Not right now. It’s a debatable point. If I give a mobile to Feluda, most of the people will be furious. It’s a very delicate balance. (laughs)
Are you trying to play safe? Are you trying not to anger the already established fan base?
I think so. Also, I don’t use a mobile and I don’t miss it.
Do you remember your first tryst with Feluda?
I was about 12 years old when the first Feluda was written. When my father finished the story, he gave the manuscript to my mother with a pencil, and asked her, if she could make any changes in characters, and continuity.
My mother was a voracious reader, and she edited it to the best of her ability, and my father was very satisfied. I read the story and identified myself with Topshe. That’s how Feluda was born. The story was titled Feludar Goyendagiri. It was first published in Sandesh.
Many actors have played Feluda starting from Soumitra Chatterjee. Who played Feluda best?
Definitely Soumitra babu. I have to say it because, those two films, Shonar Kella (1971) and Joi Baba Felunath (1979) were made by the creator of the character. But I think Sabyasachi [Chakrabarty] is splendid as Feluda. People have accepted him very widely, and they also call him Feluda. Let’s say Sabyasachi is Feluda of the new millennium.
What made you choose Sabyasachi for the role?
I think his magnetism. He is fluent in English, Hindi and Bengali and that’s very important because Feluda goes everywhere, and this language proficiency is important. For example, when he goes to Ellora, he speaks in Hindi. Sabyasachi’s voice is very heavy, very sombre, and very Bengali, that’s very important.
But that was also the time when nobody was interested in putting money into a Feluda film.
The producers told me that these are children films, and we are not interested. We are not interested because Feluda has no female characters, no romance, and no songs. Not commercially viable at all. That was the time when everybody was making masala films. So we started making Feluda films for TV.
It took almost 25 years for Feluda to return to the big screen.
When I made a Feluda telefilm for ETV, titled Dr Munshi’s Diary which became very popular, and was shown many times. That was the time when ETV’s owner Ramoji Rao was getting into Bengali film production. He had a lot of Bengalis around him who persuaded him to invest in a Feluda film.
Mr. Rao has never read Feluda, but he did it. But when he saw the film he was totally disappointed. He told me, what the hell is this? I have not seen anything like this before. But when it ran for more than 100 days, he was totally taken aback to hear that the film is running to packed houses. He said I can respect the Bengali audience now.
But in Badshahi Aangti (2014), Abir Chatterjee played Feluda.
Abir did very well. But he was also playing Byomkesh. This identity crisis became difficult. But he was very good in Badshahi Aangti (2014).
So when you signed him for Feluda, you weren’t aware of the fact that he was also doing Byomkesh?
He turned Bymokesh down after a couple of films with Anjan Dutt. He told me that he didn’t want want to play Byomkesh anymore. He wanted to play Feluda. I said okay, and we made Badahahi Aangti. Then Venkatesh Films got some of the rights of Byomkesh stories, and then they approached Abir to play Byomkesh. He couldn’t refuse. But I wasn’t very happy with the fact that Feluda and Byomkesh are being played by the same man. One actor, two major detectives, it didn’t sound right for me. That’s how it came to an end.
You also made a Hindi film with Shashi Kapoor as Feluda.
I made it for Doordarshan. The film had a splendid cast, lovely performances, and I enjoyed myself working with stalwarts like Shashi Kapoor, Utpal Dutt, Pankaj Kapur, and Mohan Agashe. But for me, it was not a Feluda film. Most of the humour didn’t work. It got distorted. It was detective adventure kind of a film. I had no power as I can’t write dialogues in Hindi. I had to depend a lot on my dialogue writer.
So no scope for Feluda to be adapted in Hindi?
I can give the rights to a sensible person if they want to do a Feluda film in Hindi. But he has to be a Bengali to understand the essence.
Your Feluda films are always weighed against your father films? Does it sound unfair?
I don’t think about those things anymore. If the public likes the film, and if it runs well, the producers are happy, I am also happy. I did my best.
Out of all the Feluda films, which ones are you happy with?
I loved making two or three films, especially Bombaiyer Bombete (2003), because it was my first, and I have a great weakness for Royal Bengal Rahashya (2011). It was a tough film to make because the villain is psychological, it’s very verbose, but the mystery is very interesting, and the locales just add to the fun.
How much of Feluda is your father?
Feluda likes everything my father liked, and hates everything my father hated. Baba is Feluda. Absolutely. No doubt about that.
Did you ever think of casting your father as Feluda considering he was a handsome man?
No. He hated acting in front of the camera.
The writer is a journalist and a screenwriter who believes in the insanity of words, in print or otherwise; he tweets @RanjibMazumder
