Yes, Ray’s super sleuth is coming back, though not on the big screen, but as a web-series. Feluda Pherot (or should I write Pheluda Pherot, the phonetically correct spelling that Srijit Mukherji prefers) is the title of his upcoming project.
Srijit Mukherji is one of the most popular filmmakers in Bengal today and has been influential in the current evolution of the Bengali cinema. He started his filmmaking career in 2010 with Autograph, a tribute to Ray’s 1966 Uttam Kumar-starrer Nayak. The film was both critically and commercially successful, winning 41 awards – something any budding director can wish for his debut film. His fifth film, Jaatishwar, won 4 national awards at India’s 61st National Film Awards (2014). He won the National Film Award for Best Director and Best Original Screenplay for his sixth film, Chotushkone, at India’s 62nd National Film Awards. His eighth film, Rajkahini, became an official selection at the 19 international film festivals and has been remade into a Hindi film titled, Begum Jaan, starring Vidya Balan in 2017. His 2018 release Ek Je Chhilo Raja won the ‘Best Bengali Film’ Award at India’s 66th National Film Awards. He made three films in 2019, the most in a year by him. When asked about the recent accelerated pace, he exclaimed, “I have many stories to tell, but have a very short time.”
Not only does he explore different themes, but also blends them into one. To me, that has been the unique format of storytelling in his films. Though it has been appreciated but on many occasions, he has been critiqued for including too many sub-plots that deem unnecessary.
With four projects already in the making and to be released in 2020, the director turns his ship towards the online streaming industry for a web-series. Initially, it was reported that he will be adapting a dozen of Satyajit Ray’s short stories. But on 5th November, Srijit confirmed via social media that it is none other than Pradosh C. Mitter who will be the protagonist of his first web-series, consisting of two stories.
Though many filmmakers (along with Srijit) has always dreamed of capturing Feluda on screen, the rights for the stories were always an issue. Last year, Sandip Ray had sold the rights of three Feluda stories to Addatimes, a Bengali online streaming platform. This series was directed by Parambrata Chatterjee, who himself was cast as the titular detective with Riddhi Sen as Topshe. Srijit’s Feluda Pherot will also be made for Addatimes.
The poster for Feluda Pherot reveals the two stories that will be adapted for the show: Chhinnomostar Obhishaap (The Curse of the Goddess) and Joto Kando Kathmandute (The Criminals of Kathmandu).
Chhinnomostar Obhishaap sees Feluda & Co. visiting Hazaribagh in Jharkhand, and getting invited by a puzzle-loving retired advocate in his birthday party. The advocate dies in an incident but not before giving cryptic clues to Feluda.
In Joto Kandu Kathmandute, Feluda goes to Nepal to catch a murderer, and discovers the case to be far more complicating, and meets his archenemy, Maganlal Meghraj for the second time.
While this is the first screen adaptation of Chhinamastar Obhishaap, Joto Kandu Kathmandute is coming back on screen for the third time. Prior to this, it was made in Hindi (Kissa Kathmandu Ka) in 1986-87 as a mini-series, and then in 1997 as one of the stories in Feluda 30. Both were directed by Sandip Ray.
The two selected stories are quite thrilling and it will be interesting to see what Srijit vision is towards Feluda. He has confirmed that Chhinamastar Obhishaap will be a period series, whereas Joto Kandu Kathmandute will be set in 2019-20.
Well, this reminds me of BBC’s Sherlock. Not only does this approach pay tribute to Ray, his original stories and let us dive into nostalgia, but also proves that the essence of Feluda is perpetual and his “mogojastro” will still be as relevant and significant as ever, even after technology and internet have seeped into our lives.
Bengalis all over the world are extremely excited to see their beloved Felu on screen again. But the next big question is “who will play him”? Casting has always been a concern to recreate iconic characters (and especially a character which every Bengali is nostalgic about).
Five actors have played Pradosh Mitter on screen before (feature, TV or web): Soumitra Chatterjee, Shashi Kapoor, Sabyasachi Chakraborty, Abir Chatterjee, and Parambrata Chatterjee. After a week of speculation, Srijit announced today that it is Tota Roy Choudhury who will play Ray’s detective. Abir Chatterjee, Anirban Bhattacharya, and Indraneil Sengupta were three other names Srijit had in mind.
Topshe’s casting is not confirmed yet. The director is looking for a fresh face for Feluda’s “satellite”. But Jatayu is going to be played by Anirban Chakraborti of Eken Babu fame.
Another character whose casting is as significant as that of the trio is Maganlal Meghraj. Originally played by the legendary Utpal Dutt in Satyajit Ray’s Joy Baba Felunath, the menacing epitome of corruption was played by Mohan Agashe in two of Sandip Ray’s telefilms. Since shooting for Feluda Ferot is scheduled to start in December, we can expect to know the confirmed cast very soon.
It’s hard to find a Bengali who is not a Feluda fan and who believes it is time that the anchor of a screen adaptation should be in good hands. For us, Feluda isn’t just a “Private Investigator”. Feluda has always been a much larger emotion, for more than 50 years now. While growing up reading Ray’s stories, we all were Topshe making Feluda an integral part of our childhood. And through the world of Feluda, somehow the genius who created this icon became far more accessible to us when some of his other work was more complex and aspirational for the young mind. For many like me, Feluda (who in a way impersonated the maker himself) was our first introduction to the magical world of Satyajit Ray.
The Film Reel 