Anik Dutta calls new film homage to Satyajit Ray, insists storyline is original

Kolkata, Sep 28 (PTI) Noted filmmaker Anik Dutta said his latest release 'Joto Kando Kolkatatei' is both a homage to Satyajit Ray, creator of the iconic Bengali detective Feluda, and an original story in its own right.

The film, now running to brisk occupancy in multiplexes and single screens, borrows its title's resonance from Ray's book 'Joto Kando Kathmandute' but weaves a fresh narrative where a young woman hires a detective in her quest to find her biological family.

"In a way, yes. One can say it is a homage... However, my writing is something which adds the flavour of a Feluda story without being one itself, as I realised I won't be able to direct a Feluda film itself," Dutta told PTI.

The 'Bhooter Bhabishyat' director stressed that Kolkata itself plays a central role in the film.

"While the city becomes the backdrop as the incidents are happening in Kolkata, some places and edifices themselves turn out to be the character without whom the film would have been half-baked or incomplete," he said.

Starring Abir Chatterjee, Quazi Nawshaba Ahmed, Roja Paromita Dey and Dulal Lahiri, the film saw houseful shows in some theatres.

Interestingly, Chatterjee plays a sleuth named Topshe, a prominent character in Ray's Feluda series.

"I instinctively thought that he would fit in. The reason behind casting him remains that he is an affable, good-looking guy. Also, he is a good friend and colleague," said Dutta, recalling how he had cast the actor earlier in 'Meghnad Badh Rahasya' (2017).

Unlike his earlier works, the director insists this film avoids satire.

"There is no political satire or any other kind of satire. Here, someone is searching for her true story and comes in contact with a sleuth to solve the mystery. As I already said, it is an original story having flavours of Feluda," he maintained.

Releasing his film during Durga Puja for the first time, Dutta brushed aside concerns about box office competition.

"Two-three-four is just a number. There are people to look into the financial side of Bengali films. This is the first time my film is releasing during Durga Puja," he said, adding with a grin, "I never saw films any time during any puja, but I have heard many people do watch." Dutta, whose last work 'Aparajito' (2022) paid tribute to Ray's struggle in making 'Pather Panchali', admitted his health might limit future projects.

"There has to be something which I can direct single-handedly, but that does not appear to be feasible. I have two-three ideas. Maybe I can work primarily as a creative director, having someone else as executive director," he said. PTI SUS SOM