Satyanweshi

Why, why, WHY was this allowed by any self-respecting Bangali to see the light of day? There sure is a crime involved in this story - and that is the brutal and vicious murder of one of the greatest icons of Bengali literature, Byomkesh Bakshi. It is also a highly irresponsible and arrogant act of ripping apart one of the best detective stories written in Bengali. What infernal right did Rituparno Ghosh have to do any of this? Most of the characters in the film cannot even pronounce Bengali words without a spurious "English" accent, Sujoy Ghosh (who is he??)included. No one can act to save their lives. Even the veteran actor playing Kaligati delivers his lines with unnatural pauses between words, in a singsong voice, reminding you of high school plays. Anindya as Ajit is tubby, insipid and only marginally better than the rest. And Sujoy Ghosh as Byomkesh makes you want to cry.

When I watched Shubho Muhurat a long time ago, I was amazed by the taut screenplay, wonderful adaptation of the Agatha Christie story, and the handling of the mystery by the director. I can go back to that movie again and again to watch Rakhi, Sumanta Mukherjee and character actors like Rajesh Sharma. It is tragic to see the same director deliver something like "Satyanweshi." This film has scarred me for life.

The 2012 Byomkesh film Anjan Dutt made with Abir Chatterjee and Saswata (based on Chitrachor) was an infinitely better film. That's because Anjan Dutt chose not to deviate from the story unnecessarily, wrote a really smart screenplay, and chose people who knew their business - i.e. acting. Although Abir lacked the polish and finesse of Saswata, he looked right and was competent if not scintillating. Keeping the narration in was a great idea too. Probably this movie worked because the director, for once, was not trying to be smart. Sometimes, it pays to acknowledge that you are not God but just another film director, who is capable of making bad movies as well as good ones.

A bad film is a bad film. An awful film is an awful film, and it is not wrong to say so. Even if its director is dead, even if it is his "swan song", even if he has made some good movies in the past. And I think it is high time we grew up and stopped idolizing our "famous" Bengalis. Rituparno had potential, he made some good movies, and he made some bad movies. That doesn't make him any less. And it certainly does not make him God.

As darkness descended over Kolkata on September 5th, an eager crowd had gathered in front of Priya Cinema. Late director Rituparno Ghosh's last directorial venture was finally revealed itself to audiences in a special screening at one of the most famed cinema halls in the city. The crème of the Bengali film industry along with fans alike missed the presence of the director himself but were eager and excited to catch the premiere. The film opens with Maharaja Arunagshu, the ruler of Balwantpur discovering about his son Himangshu's romances abroad and writing down a will that prevented Himangshu from inheriting the position of Maharaja if he marries a non-Hindu girl. Enter the sleuth Byomkesh Bakshi, a role expertly adapted by Kahaani director Sujoy Ghosh. He is on a train heading to Balwantpur with his author friend Ajit (Anindya Chatterjee), on an invitation for hunting by Maharaja Himangshu himself. However the mystery thickens when Himangshu reveals to Byomkesh about the disappearance of Harinath, the palace librarian, and how the queen was devastated at the ill event. Byomkesh, known for his brilliance and zeal to seek the truth starts investigating the mysterious disappearance, while Ajit finds out about the loneliness of queen Alaka and that her only friend in the palace was Harinath, for whose disappearance she blamed her husband. Maharaja Himangshu, in a desperate attempt to win back his wife's trust, threatens Byomkesh at point blank range. But Byomkesh, being the truth seeker that he is, solves the mystery of the palace and Balwantpur and finally, the royal physician Kaligati (Sibaji Bandyopadhay) turns out to be the culprit. Rituparno Ghosh's Satyanweshi does justice to Sharadindu Bandyopadhyay's Chorabali, on which the film is based. Sujoy Ghosh fit perfectly in the role of the sleuth Byomkesh Bakshi and Sibaji Bandyopadhyay portrayed the double faced villain Kaligati brilliantly. The rest of the cast too performed their best, which includes Anindya Chatterjee as Ajit, Arpita Chatterjee as Rani Alaka and Indraneil Mukherjee as Maharaja Himangshu. The biggest leverage, however, is the music. Debajyoti Mishra's soothing rendition of Rabindranath Tagore's Shukhohin Nishidin, Rituparno Ghosh's Taradim Taradim and Kalidasa's Meghdutam clearly becomes the icing on the cake. Matching the sounds of the era of the maharajas, the only 3 songs are placed articulately, to go with the flow of the low paced thriller. Overall, Satyanweshi pays tribute to the writer Sharadindu Bandopadhyay as well as the director whose vision crafted the film. A must watch for every Rituparno Ghosh fan, as his last directorial venture does not cease to impress.

The worst from Ghosh, maybe the second. This is what happens when every single directors, even the artsy ones try to churn from the same source material; and you get one of the worst Byomkesh movies.

Movie is dull. Casting was awful. Direction is pathetic.

While there is a whole new wave of same old sleuth, private/consulting detectives being created worldwide, it is very likely to expect Byomkesh in a rejuvenated format. The re-incarnation of Sherlock created by BBC or our own Feluda by Sandip Ray has raised the bars. Byomkesh could not cross this hurdle. Even the two Byomkesh movies played by Aabir (I don't remember the names) was better.

Even more irony - Ajit looked smarter and sharper than Byomkesh.

You can refrain from watching this movie even if you are a die hard Byomkesh fan. No harm done. Nothing to lose.

Byomkesh Bakshi is a popular private investigator character in Bengali Thrillers and created by late Sri Sharadendu Banerjee. In recent years Byomkes Bakshi has been revitalized in Bengali cinema after a long gap in late 60s when Shri Satyajit Ray made "Chiriyakhana" which is the first Byomkesh movie. This Byomkesh cinema is based on the story named as "chorabali" which Shri Ghosh renamed as "Satyenshi". The original story was modified and extended in order to make a full length feature film. However in doing so the flavor of the thriller is completely lost .Instead of focusing on the detail of the investigation Shri Ghosh brought in personal relationship issues with Byomkesh set aside. Anyone will say that the three name game is a poor investigative strategy. The script is very weak and the whole pace of the movie is extremely slow. In the last scene it was not clear why Himangshu was bilnd-folded although it was a night of new moon and it would be more natural in the dark that Himangshu can show his sound detection hit capability ( shabdovedi). It appears to me that Shri Ghosh just trying to use the Byomkesh brand name in making the movie but on the core he put his own agenda which has no connection with the thriller.