Having wrapped up the shoot of Devi Chowdhurani — Bandit Queen of Bengal, filmmaker Subhrajit Mitra is all set to embark on a new journey. Mitra’s next film is titled Kalmrigaya. “It’s a whodunnit thriller, a murder mystery. The entire film will be in black and white. There will be seven to eight stars and superstars of the Bengali film industry in different lead roles,” smiles Mitra. A t2 chat...

Were you a fan of mystery stories as a child?

Yes, absolutely. I was intrigued and fascinated by the world created by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Dame Agatha Christie, our very own Satyajit Ray, Sharadindu Bandopadhyay, Hemendra Kumar Roy and many more. Being a voracious reader since childhood, I used to buy these books with my pocket money during my school days and created my own utopian world around it, where I was Holmes, Poirot, Feluda, and Byomkesh all rolled into one.

I always wished to own a gun like them in my fantasy world and now I do have one licenced Beretta automatic pistol of my own in reality. On a lighter note, in my college days, a few of my girlfriends gave me the nickname Feluda, because of my height and body structure I presume, but more specifically for the same surname ‘Mitra’, and they still call me that. Since childhood, I have had a knack for solving puzzles, and mysteries because of my analytical overthinking mind. Those who know me in close quarters still tell me that I should have been working for RAW, rather than making movies.

Have you played a detective in real life?

I have, a couple of times. But can not disclose further for obvious reasons. A good detective or spy will always remain undercover, undisclosed. On that note, James Bond is a failure in both the aspects!

Who were your fave authors?

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle will be on top of my list any day, followed by Satyajit Ray and then the others. Holmes and Feluda are more cinematic to me than the rest.

When did you start watching mystery movies?

I was pretty young when I started watching mystery movies and thrillers. I was introduced to the world of Sherlock Holmes and Poirot when I was 10 or 12 years old through TV series. Then gradually I watched all the films of Alfred Hitchcock when I was in college.

Which are your faves?

There are many. Hitchcock’s Rebecca, Guy Ritchie’s Sherlock, Kenneth Branagh’s Poirot to name a few. In Bengali, there are Sonar Kella, Joy Baba Felunath, Chiriakhana, Kuheli, Jighangsha. These are the films that inspire me to create my own.

Tell us about a few thrilling incidents from your life...

My life so far is not less than any thriller. A complete mainstream potboiler. During my years with National Geographic and Discovery, I travelled extensively in the Himalayan regions. I was lost and all alone in a leopard sanctuary in Maharashtra one evening and had to trek down from the hilltop surrounded by the dense forest to the main entry gate of the National Park (about eight to 10 kms). It took me around five-six hours and I had to remember and apply all the survival skills that I had read in Jim Corbett’s books and learned during my Boy Scouts training days. But I lived to tell the tale. Still, whenever I remember that night it gives me a shiver and I vividly remember the facial expressions of the forest guards at the main entry point, when they saw me emerging unscathed from that jungle in the middle of the night.

What are your thoughts on book-to-film adaptations?

These are two mediums with different grammar and language. One should be extremely careful with the interpretation when they’re making any literary adaptation. And personally, I prefer to study the entire bibliography of that particular author when I am planning to make any film adaptation and writing the script. I prefer to study and research the author in details to know that person and to know his works in depth before writing the screenplay.

What are the major challenges of making a good thriller?

To keep the thrilling elements intact for the entire span of the movie time. And if it’s a whodunnit thriller then the main challenge is to make the movie worth multiple viewing, despite the audience knowing the climax when they have watched it for the first time. I guess the book, Sonar Kella and the film are the ideal case study and should be the Bible for all aspiring filmmakers.

Why is the world obsessed with thrillers?

The basic human urge is to know the unknown. A good thriller and a mystery, be it a novel or a film, engages the mind from the very beginning and the audience or the reader feels that he or she is the actual protagonist amidst that world which is carefully crafted by the creator. I guess that appeal is universal.

Do you prefer period thrillers over contemporary ones?

I do not find contemporary thrillers appealing as the advent of technology has taken away so many goosebump moments. The best thrillers are therefore always a period piece or if it has to be in any contemporary surroundings, it has to be devoid of all modern technology such as mobile, Internet and many other modern gadgets such as CCTV.

What qualities should a great contemporary detective have?

That person should be well versed in all major international and regional languages, should know all the basic religious practices, and should be extremely knowledgeable in modern gadgets and technologies and the cyber world. But above all a good detective must have a rational and analytical mind, unprejudiced and unbiased thinking ability and a sharp sixth sense.

Tell us about your new film...

Kalmrigaya (A Fateful Game of Hunting) is my humble homage to the world created by Alfred Hitchcock, Agatha Christie and Arthur Conan Doyle (Sherlock Holmes). The film is based during the end of World War II. The locations are erstwhile Transylvania and Loch Ness in Europe. It’s a whodunnit thriller, a murder mystery. The entire film will be in black and white. I suppose this will be one of the biggest ensembles of stars in recent times in Bengali films. I plan to shoot in pre-winter, winter. This film will be dubbed in multiple languages and release pan-India.

Why did you decide to direct a mystery film/thriller after Devi Chowdhurani?

It’s more about making something bigger and expanding my horizon much further with my every passing film. I feel after winning the National Award for Avijatrik, it is my duty to be more responsible, and be more proactive to expand the market of the Bengali film industry globally, and to make my country proud again and again. I am trying that with Devi Chowdhurani, and I will try that again with Kalmrigaya. I felt this story would be the perfect choice for that with the inherent international appeal. And being a filmmaker, a storyteller, rather, I should be exploring all kinds of genres. Not restricting myself to certain types. Kalmrigaya will be a noir film with a historical background, period settings, large star casts, and hints of literary adaptations — a perfect cocktail which seamlessly caters to my forte. And I am confident that I’ll deliver an unforgettable cinematic experience to moviegoers.