Detective Byomkesh Bakshy! - The Leap

It has taken "Detective Byomkesh Bakshy!", the latest Dibakar Banerjee movie, to bring me out of a long, self-induced slumber. 

Byomkesh Bakshi is a fictional detective created by Sharadindu Bandyopadhyay in the 1930s. Most of us would remember his exploits from  from a Basu Chaterjee serial on Doordarshan in the early nineties. Shining through the lovable Doordarshan tackiness was the sheer ingenuity of the stories and brilliance of the character, played out by Rajit Kapur. This movie succeeds in bringing alive that ingenuity and brilliance, beyond mere nostalgia. 

"Detective Byomkesh Bakshy!" is based in the Calcutta of the 1940s, when the British were still ruling India and is supposedly based on Byomkesh's first case. The plot takes off when Byomkesh, who is still in college, is approached by Ajit who requests him to look for his missing father. As the manhunt progresses, something bigger than just a missing person mystery unravels. There are newer secrets lurking around each corner - drug smuggling, Chinese gangs, local politics and pretty cinestars. Providing a further interesting backdrop is the World War II animosity between Britain and Japan. Speaking more could work as a spoiler for my more intuitive readers so let me just say that the end befits a juicy, racy potboiler of a spy-story.

The story is told in the noir film genre, with some astounding production design, edgy cinematography and tight editing. Dibakar has beautifully recreated Kolkata of the 40s, daringly and refreshingly different from the expected touristy collage of bright rickshaws, looming Howrah bridge, yellow ambassador taxis, chai cups, Ma Durga idols and trams. 

The noir feel - bleakness on the screen and the play of light and shadows and tight frames - works as a powerful aphrodisiac, adding to the delicious mystique and to the exciting sense of hurtling towards doom. I do not remember watching a film actually from the edge of my seat for a long time now. The music (credited to Sneha Khanwalkar and done by different bands it seems) keeps apace, in sync with the story. 

It is to the credit of this "look" and to the taut storyline, which makes one forget the discomfiture of Sushant Singh Rajput in the first half-an-hour of the film. As the film progresses, however, Sushant settles down nicely in to his understated act and proves Dibakar's choice right, ably aided by all his co-actors, notably by Neeraj Kabi as Dr. Anukul Guha. Kabi's is a scintillating performance which stays with you for quite some time after you come out of the movie. Other notable mentions include Swastika Mukherjee and Meiyang Chang.    

The only one small issue I have with the movie is the obviously north Indian Hindi spouted by the main actors - Sushant and Anand Tiwari (as Ajit). A slight lilt of Bangla would have sounded more natural and would have been a suitably flavored garnishing on this beautiful dish.

But of course do not let this trifle come in the way of your enjoyment. If you love a well-made potboiler, this is the movie for you. For the noir films in India, it is certainly a leap forward.