Feluda Pherot

Subscribed to Adda-Times only for this show, and I arrived with a lot of expectations after seeing the trailer. Overall the show is really good and definitely worth watching multiple times. Few further observations are below:

a. The casting is spot on for all the major roles. For anyone who has read the book, all the characters seem like they have come alive from the pages. Especially the trio. However, i felt the role was Nilima Debi was somewhat weak and the expressions were not always spot on. The character always seemed too intense. There was no variety in her character.

b. The cinematography was very good and exceptional by Bengali movie standards. Srijit retains his ability to make a visually pleasing experience. Even the costumes and the locations did enough justice and it truly felt that the movie was shot 50 years in the past. For a regional web series I do not expect an ounce better.

c. The background score is very good. Unlike most people, I loved the background score in the trailer and I loved it here. Varying from the original score by Ray gave this series some well deserved freshness and also the music was apt for a mystery thriller.

d. Anirban has played my second favourite Jatayu now. I have had the pleasure of seeing all actors who have brought Jatayu to life in television, or the cinema or in the internet (through web series). And while Anirban is miles away from Santosh Datta, he is quite well ahead of the rest. He does not act like a clown. He is not a punchline for all jokes. In this iteration, he comes across as a simple and honest bengali babu. He has character, and his character is believable and enjoyable.

e. Tota was spot on as Feluda. In few instances he seemed like a little too stuck up, but I think that was the direction. He may be a bit more enjoyable if he is shown as a little bit fallible as was the case with Soumitra. After Soumitra, all Feluda's are too perfect. Fallibility will increase the humanity in the character. (Yes I know, this Feluda is more honest to the one described in the books. That is why I deferred to Soumitra's iteration)

f. Kalpan was an adequate Topshe at best. He needs a bit more enunciation. His interpretation of Topshe feels like the Topshe as was written in the initial stories. He could have been a little more assertive. (Definitely NOT like Parambrata as Topshe - he was unbearable). However, definitely enjoyable.

g. I loves how Srijit put some layers on the supporting characters. The way he weaved the characters and their actions increased the overall suspense. It was refreshing.

h. My only gripe is that he spoiled the character of Din Dayal to allow an easier redemption of Mahesh Babu. It to my mind, was unnecessary. The personality flaw of Mahesh Babu should not have been dampened.

i. In some places, Tota's dialogues were a little too long. Making it a little more succinct and pointed will make it more pleasing. I think the dialogue writer attempted to idiot-proof every pun and snide. The extra exposition took away the sharpness of the delivery.

I look forward to seeing the series again. And look forward to season 2.

Feluda is finally back. I'm very happy. Thanks to Srijit Mukharjee. Tota Roychoudhary is quite good in the lead role, but he have to do more work on it.. He have to be more energetic. Other actors are too good.

Now waiting for next season....

Feluda is Back - and back with a BANG!

The much awaited web series on one of the most celebrated characters in Bengali literature came alive on TV screens on Christmas and as is expected of every diehard Feluda fan, despite being on a vacation, I managed to binge watch it - and here's my take on Season 1. "Feluda Pherot" is Srijit Mukherjee's maiden attempt at bringing Feluda to screen. Interestingly, one of the earliest full fledged directorial ventures of Srijit, while still at Bangalore was a play by the same title, at the historical Ranga Shankara and with Parambrata in the lead, that was extremely well received. The choice to stick to the same title for his web series therefore, has to be more than just a coincidence! Season 1 is based on "Chinnomostar Obhishaap" (The curse of the Goddess in the translated version in English) and is set in late 70s at Rajrappa near Hazaribagh in Bihar (now Jharkhand). The story in my personal opinion is one of the most iconic creations of Ray. Chinnamasta as a unqiue form of Shakti is a mystical concept in Hindu mythology that interestingly also finds resonance in Buddhist scripts. The supposedly 6000+ year old temple at Rajrappa is considered to be a close second to Kamakhya in its tantric significance and despite its not-so-easy-access finds serious religious & academic tourists from all over the world. Hazaribagh used to be a summer retreat and/or retirement destinations of prosperous Bengalis of Kolkata for its weather, rustic natural beauty and for its rich wildlife (read Royal Bengal Tiger!) and the folklores around the (in)famous Tatijhatriya forests . Ray's genius amalgamates all these aspects into a spine chilling adventure - as Feluda along with his two confidantes try unravelling parallel mysteries of a Royal Bengal tiger having escaped from a circus and a septuagenerian's cryptic clues at his deathbed regarding his son who has been incommunicado for 10 years . At hindsight, its rather surprising that no one thought of bringing this potent story to the screen earlier and the director needs to be specifically lauded for having made an eclectic pick. Srijit Mukherjee, a Feluda fanboy himself has chosen to stay absolutely true to the original story. People who have eaten, drank and absorbed the Feluda stories will get an emphatic feel of déjà vu as Srijit has pretty much cellulodified the cellulose - and is sure to have most (if not all) of them swooning for more! Srijit is arguably the most celebrated and decorated director in Tollywood today and he needs to be called out for being able to refrain from adapting the narrative to his statements. There is only one dialogue that talks about the dangers of overzealous interpretation(s) of religion that he has slipped in but that is just a byline and does not dilute anything. His signature plays with the color palletes and his trademark one - on - one encounters in screenplays do appear once in a while but he seems to have judiciously and consciously stayed away from lending a "creative" touch to influence the narrative. A significant contributor for the overall impact of Feluda Pherot is its casting. Tota looks to have come straight out of the sketches of Ray. His diction, appearance and mannerisms pretty much reflect "Pradosh C Mitter". Even while keeping in mind that Tota has extremely big shoes to fill, I am willing to stick my neck out to say that Srijit and Tota have shown enough promise to create the next popular "Feluda" after Soumitra and Sabyasachi. Anirban Chakrabarti, as expected, has been refreshingly impressive as Jataayu. Kalpan Mitra as Topshe has been a bit of a disappointment and I am still wondering if Srijit has purposely kept Topshe a bit on the sidelines in Season 1. I guess we will be answered when we see Kalpan next in season 2 as the adventure at Kathmandu has the character of Topshe playing a more important role. All in the supporting cast look to have been thoughtfully cast and have played out their parts very well. Two performances however stand a little taller - Dhritiman Chatterjee (Mahesh Choudhury) as the erudite and cryptic patriarch breaking up from within due to his guilt consciousness and the veteran Arun Guhathakurta (Akhil babu) as the benevolent astrologer cum Ayurveda practitioner to Mahesh Choudhury. The latter in fact plays a gem of an innings which also sadly turned out to be his last. I hope the thespian is smiling from the heavens above; happy to have been part of a production that is bound to live through the sands of time. Feluda Pherot's opening music as well as the overall soundscapes have had a pivotal role to play. Keeping Ray's epic signature tune intact, Joy Sarkar & Srijato have created a charming opener. Srijato in particular has penned a song which is not something we typically see of him and hence deserves a lot of credit. Despite being on a binge watching spree, it was nearly impossible to skip the opener as it manages to give you goosebumps every single time. Rupankar Bagachi, Rupam Islam & Anupam Roy need to be complimented for infusing the right dose of nostalgia into their renditions. The background score has been used with subtle variations in intensity to specifically enhance the impact remarkably well at critical moments in the narrative. Summing up, Feluda Pherot is a Santa's Xmas gift for all Bong cinelovers and definitely a treat for all the Feluda fans. More importantly with the directorial genius of Srijit and the near prefect casting of Tota, I would like to believe it to be a harbinger of sumptuous Feluda spreads being served om screens in not so distant future. I shall eagerly wait for the action in Kathmandu and beyond!

#feludapherot #srijitmukherjee #feluda #jataayu #chinnomostarobhishaap #thecurseofthegoddess #hazaribagh #rajrappa #joysarkar #srijato #anirbanchakrabarti #dhritiman #arunguhathakurta

A much needed change from the mainstream Sandip Ray's one-sided "early plot revealed" storylines. Director Srijit Mukherjee has handled this mini-story, in his own signature style. The plot has been handled extraordinarily well dragging the storyline to six episodes each with an average of 25-30 mins runtime, not even once the audience has been let down. Acting has been very good with the veteran Tota Roy Choudhury pulling off ,one of the perfect Feluda in the modern times. Topshe and Jatayu has been a good addition and supported the actor well. Other actors like Rishi Kaushik, Arindam and Dhritiman played superbly their own roles. The outdoor set has been tremendously shown. The usage of drone cameras has been fruitful. The storyline dating back to the 1970s, has been portrayed exactly without the use of modern day gadgets. The dialogue delivery has been riddled with easter eggs with all things related to different Feluda storylines. Last but not the least, the music has been surprisingly good and peppy, especially the theme song but yes, we missed the signature tune. In all, a must watch for all Feluda lovers all over the world.

To tell the truth, i was a bit skeptical regarding this version of Feluda. Like many other 'Bangalis' I was disheartened time and again by the 'feluda attempts' done by the directors other than the great Ray. But Srijit shocked me this time. If someone had asked me how will you like to see your favorite most hero on silver screen, then that would be exactly like Srijit's one. 'am no film director. But since childhood i had my fare share of fantasies regarding this trio ( sometimes duo), how they will look, how they will walk, how they will talk etc. Satyajit Ray's illustrations guided me in this fantasy imagination. And boy! Srijit somehow has made this impossible quite possible. Some of the frames are straight from the book illustrations. Acting was good. Script good. Camera good. All the other things are good. But in case of background score, there is still chance of improvement. Sometimes it felt unnecessarily loud on ears.

Last and the most important thing, is the approch to the great Jatayu. Well, someone are finding Mr Anirban is not up to the expectations. But for me this is Srijit's masterstroke. He rebuilt the jatayu for us. He consciously avoided to make jatayu act like his predecessors. He consciously avoided to make his jatayu to be compared with Mr. Santosh Dutta's legacy. And that, made the film so fun to watch.

Thank you Srijit. Thank you.