Kolkata, Jul 28 (PTI) Bengali superstar Dev has become the newest actor to portray the character of iconic fictional detective Byomkesh Bakshi in a film which will be released next month.
In the movie ‘Byomkesh O Durgo Rahasya’ (Byomkesh and the Mystery of the Fort), Bakshi will unravel the truth behind the “snake bite deaths” of several members of a family in and around a fort.
“I am conscious of the challenges involved in a project like Byomkesh. I love taking up different types of roles which will challenge me as an actor,” Dev told PTI.
The character of the immensely popular Byomkesh Bakshi was created by Saradindu Bandyopadhyay between 1930 and ‘60s. He had written 32 stories based on the detective character who likes to call himself “Satyanweshi” (The truth seeker).
Before Dev, several other actors essayed the role of Bakshi such as Abir Chatterjee, Jisshu Sengupta and Parambrata Chatterjee in recent years. Among the three, Abir and Parambrata have also portrayed the role of Feluda, another admired detective character created by Satyajit Ray.
Asked about the competition with these contemporary actors, Dev said, “I don’t look at things in that way. I am my own competitor. I wish to see every role, taken up by me in each film differently, adding a new dimension.” Dev, also a Trinamool Congress MP, acknowledged the risk of being trolled for taking up the role of Byomkesh.
“I am conscious of the risk, both being the actor and one of the producers. But I love taking challenges,” he said.
Directed by Birsa Dasgupta, ‘Byomkesh O Durgo Rahasya’ will hit the theatres on August 11 in West Bengal.
Actors Rukmini Maitra essays the role of Byomkesh’s wife Satyabati and Ambarish Mukherjee as his ‘man Friday’ Ajit.
Abir Chatterjee portrayed the role of the sleuth in five films between 2010 and 2016, while Jisshu Sengupta had done so in three in 2015, ’16 and ’17. Parambrata Chatterjee enacted the character in one movie in 2019.
At least 12 films on Byomkesh Bakshi have been made in Bengali including ‘Chiriyakhana’ (The Menagerie) by Satyajit Ray who had cast matinee idol Uttam Kumar in the lead in 1967.
The audience of television and OTT have also watched works based on Byomkesh Bakshi by several directors in Bengali and Hindi. PTI SUS NN
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