Sandip Ray’s upcoming Feluda film Nayan Rahasya, which is about a child blessed with an amazing superpower, hits the screens on May 10. t2 sat down for a chat with Indraneil Sengupta who once again headlines the highly-anticipated thriller as Feluda, supported by Abhijit Guha as Jatayu and Ayush Das as Topshe.
How did it feel to be Feluda once again?
You could say Feluda has always been my dream role. I have always worked in Bombay, but ever since I got the opportunity to work in Bengali films, Feluda is one character I always aspired to play. And as it has turned out, I got my chance and here I am being Feluda for the second time (laughs).
But it really felt as exciting as the first time. You see, when you want to do something very badly, and when you get the chance to do just that, not once but twice, nothing can be more exciting.
What was your approach to playing the iconic character? Since you have played Feluda once already, did you try anything different this time?
I don’t think so. As per Babuda (Sandip Ray) we got it right the first time. Whatever work we had put in, all three of us, not just Feluda, in terms of building each character, made Babuda very happy. So none of us felt that there was any need to do something different, because when something is going well, it is best not to interfere with that. But when you get into the skin of a character again and again, there is bound to be a certain improvement, a certain growth. But I don’t think I have consciously tried to do anything differently.
Most importantly, what all three of us have tried to achieve is to stay true to the characters as they are written in the book. We have done that in Hatyapuri, and we have tried to do the same in Nayan Rahasya.
The trailer has a scene where a child is being kidnapped and dragged into a car, just like in Sonar Kella. Are there any similarities in theme between the two?
Not really. This story is about a child with a special gift for numbers. Because of this, some people with good or bad intentions, want to use his gift to serve their ends. The child in this film is very different from the child in Sonar Kella. But this film also deals with how the child gets into trouble because of his special abilities and how Feluda is entrusted with the responsibility of protecting the child from impending danger. I am sure everyone has read the story, but all the same, I think it will be very exciting to see it on screen.
Could you share with us any special memories you carried back from this shoot?
Initially we shot in Calcutta, on set. But the most fascinating part of this shoot was when we travelled to south India. We went to Chennai and Mahabalipuram. We visited the famous temple in Mahabalipuram (Shore Temple) where we also shot on location. I was awed by the beauty and the architectural grandeur of the temples. This was a special experience for me and if not for the opportunity I got while shooting for this film, I would perhaps never have visited such a wonderful place as part of a vacation or a holiday. We also visited the Snake Park in Chennai, which was also necessary as per the book. That was the first time I went to any snake park so that was a great experience for me.
So I guess this is part of the privileges of our profession that we are able to see those places which probably wouldn’t have otherwise figured on our list of places to visit.
A Feluda movie is by itself an emotion for every Bengali. Apart from that, what is it about this film that will make it stand out and attract audiences?
As Bengalis, all of us are great Feluda fans and I am sure most of our audience, especially those who belong to our generation or are older, have read all or most of the stories more than once. Some older children also may have read the books. However, younger kids may not have done so. We have tried to make this film in such a way that it inspires kids and younger audiences to go back after watching the film and want to read the book. If we can achieve that, it will be a big victory for us.
Besides, a Feluda story is always special for any Bengali, and we always wait to watch a Feluda movie on screen, whether we have read it or not. Another thing is that though Feluda movies normally come out during winter, this time it is being released during the summer holidays, which is longer than the winter break. So we are really excited, keeping our fingers crossed and waiting to see how the audience responds to the film.
The film also revolves around a little boy, Nayan (Abhinaba Barua). As we all know, Satyajit Ray had originally written these stories for kids. So I am sure, children as well as adults, who are equally fond of these stories, will be very interested in the film. This film also has magic, with a magic show being performed by a magician (Debnath Chatterjee). So the film is a complete entertainment package.
What did you find most challenging about portraying Feluda in this film?
Irrespective of which film it is, whether Hatyapuri or Nayan Rahasya, my main challenge has always been to become the character and react to the situation and people as he would. And since I always wished to do this role, the process or the journey was extremely satisfying. But with Feluda, another big challenge is the expectation of the audience and the comparison which is bound to happen because of the two stalwarts Soumitra Chatterjee and Sabyasachi Chakrabarty, who have played the character before. However, since I could not do anything about it, I concentrated on my job and worked hard to be the best Feluda that I could be, based on the script and the text. In fact, Babuda had told me specifically that I should not try to emulate them or be influenced by the way they portrayed the character.
Another challenge was that since I am a probashi Bangali (non-resident Bengali), I am not used to conversing in Bangla on a daily basis except with my parents. So I had to put in extra effort to know and be confident in the nuances of the language as it spoken in contemporary Calcutta. I abstained from reading books in English and focused only on reading in Bangla and listening to Bangla songs. So I tried to put myself in that zone and environment to become a complete Bangali like Feluda.
Do you think the character evolved in any way since the time Satyajit Ray made his Feluda films, and so, did you add any contemporary touches to your portrayal of Feluda?
As the character goes, I don’t think there was any conscious effort to tweak the character and make him more contemporary. However, we have added contemporary elements like cell phones and the Internet or the concept of Feluda driving a car, which are not there in the book, but which we have added to make it relatable to a modern audience. However, Feluda is never shown to be dependent on technology. Technology has been used subtly, so that it does not disturb or distort the original story in any way.
As for the character, I am an actor of a particular generation and my personality is befitting my time. It is inevitable that my portrayal of Feluda will be according to my era, just like every actor who has ever played Feluda has done it according to their time. Feluda was never meant to be a period character so in this film too, he will be presented as a contemporary figure. Yet I can assure you, I have tried to retain the classic charm of the original Feluda as you will find him in the books.
What about your working dynamics with Sandip Ray? Has that evolved in any way?
You see Sandip Ray is a person who makes you feel at home right away. So I found it very comfortable to work with him even while doing Hatyapuri. But it does get easier when you work with the same team on two successive films. You are familiar with the people, their expectations, their style of working and how they want things to be done. The wonderful thing about Babuda is that he never forces you to do anything and gives you a free hand to be the character in your own way. On the contrary, since I know for sure that no one knows or understands Feluda as well as Babuda, I totally surrendered myself to him and asked for his guidance.
What are your memories of reading Feluda books? Do you have any favourite Feluda book or film?
Feluda stories lend themselves to repeat reading or viewing and I enjoy reading or watching them always. It is difficult to point out a single favourite, but definitely there are some stories that are more cinematic. So there are stories like Chhinnamastar Abhishap, which you feel will be a delight to watch on screen. And I am happy to share that my choice and Babuda’s choice match in this respect. Other than these I am fond of Bombaiyer Bombete, Joto Kando Katmandute and so many more that are absolutely a joy to read or watch.
