Having essayed 'Feluda' in mentor Ray's classic sleuth films, thespian Soumitra Chatterjee was averse in portraying another idiosyncratic fictional crime-buster Byomkesh Bakshi when sounded by director Swagato Chowdhury but gave in after hearing the script.
"When I thought about directing Durbin, which has a collage of ace Bengali sleuths from Feluda to Byomkesh, Kiriti Roy and even Pandab Goyenda, I could not envisage the film sans the two actors - Soumitra and Sabyasachi Chakroborty (as Feluda)," Swagato told PTI here.
As the 'Dadasaheb Phalke' awardee conceded on the face of persistent pleas by the debutant feature film maker, he completely gave in to Swagato.
"I remember on the first day of the shoot, Soumitrakaku came, went through the script and softly asked what I expected from him during shot.
"He then told me are you okay with my suggestions and then gave me some tips. It was such an experience! And you have to see the movie to know how he delivered, mouthed his lines, and gave expressions as the Saradindu (Bandyopadhyay) fictional investigator steeped in Bengaleeness. Not in the garb of the Feluda you had seen him years back," Swagato said.
Even Sabyasachi, a.K.A Feluda in recent flicks on the evergreen Bengali super-sleuth by Satyajit son Sandip Ray, would be a revelation with the characterization not solely centred on him.
"Durbin's charm is as like any interesting Bengali thriller of Feluda or Byomkesh but being an ensemble cast, which also comprises veteran Tollywood actor Shantilal Mukherjee, two tracks or strands run parallel in the movie.
The funnyman Lalomohan Ganguly, an intrinsic part of all Feluda stories, acts as the chronicler-bemused associate of the 'D gang', gang of detectives' as well as Topshe (Aritro) and the children's brigade.
The audience can see through the Durbin (binocular) from January three.
