Background dancer, theatre artiste, TV actor and Bollywood heartthrob - that's the multi-faceted Sushant Singh Rajput. Two years and three films later, Sushant is ready to take the big leap with Dibakar Banerjee's Detective Byomkesh Bakshy (DBB), the iconic character from Bengali fiction.
Playing the title role in the Yash Raj film is not just his ticket to the A-list, he says. "Acceptance, feedback, fame, money, success are all very seductive, but I work only for myself. I don't work to be an A-lister. DBB interested me as an actor, that's why I did it," stresses Sushant.
Talk about fond memories from the shoot, and like most others, he gets into raptures about the food. "The best thing about Kolkata, where we shot for a month, is that the city has retained its rich heritage. It also has some of the sweetest people, and the food there is amazing. I want to visit again to try out all the Bengali delicacies. I hope Kolkata accepts me as their notun (new) Byomkesh."
Bengali cinema is no stranger to the detective created by author Sharadindu Bandopadhyay, but DBB, insists Sushant, stands out from the rest.
"Unlike other Byomkesh films, we've started from scratch. DBB is about how Byomkesh becomes Detective Byomkesh. By the end of it, he learns not only about solving cases efficiently, but also the importance of having people around. He starts out as a loner, but eventually realises that he was craving for companionship," the actor explains.
It took Sushant five months to get a hang of the world director Dibakar Banerjee was creating. "Dibakar did not tell me what to do. Instead, he instructed me on what not to do, and it helped," the 29-year-old smiles.
Remaking an iconic character comes with a lot of baggage. But not for Sushant, who considers this performance his most honest one yet. "I'd deliberately not watched Byomkesh films before I started shooting for DBB. I've read about Feluda and Byomkesh. But as an actor, I only thought of my character and myself. I'm selfish that way," he shares.
Having bought the rights to all of Sharadindu Bandopadhyay's stories, the team has also locked a script for their second film on Byomkesh Bakshy. "We have the rights to use as many stories as we want for our film. But we won't make all 32 of them, because I'll be 61 by then (laughs). Dibakar and me were discussing the second story. The idea is superb, so let's hope this film does well and we can make the second film."
But what if DBB does not work? Will Sushant still try the genre? "Why not? I don't do a film thinking it to be of a certain genre only. It can be a 10 minute role or a role like this. I just work for myself, but at the same time, we want the audiences to like it. Films are primarily a moneymaking venture, so we have to take that into consideration as well."
While many of his contemporaries are keeping the cash registers ringing doing mindless commercial flicks, Sushant is not taking the easy route. But he does want to attempt a masala entertainer sometime soon. "I would love to do something like a Rohit Shetty film. All my roles till date have not been conventionally Bollywood, but they have been commercial hits. Even my next with Homi Adajania is a rom-com that will have a lot of song and dance, very Bollywood-ish. I am keeping all my options open," he signs off.
Director Dibakar Banerjee is relieved after receiving a "thrilling response" to his latest film Detective Byomkesh Bakshy!, especially in Kolkata.
Initially, Dibakar was scared about how actor Sushant Singh Rajput's interpretation of the detective will be received in the city, where the film's story is set. But the positive response to the movie has left the director happy.
"We both (Sushant and I) were very scared about what response the film will get in Kolkata? This is because Byomkesh's character is one of the great detectives of Bengali fiction and (we felt) people won't accept Sushant as Byomkesh," Dibakar said on Sunday during the promotion of the film at a theatre in Mumbai.
"But what we have gathered from there (Kolkata), shows that Sushant has really become Byomkesh for them," he added.
Further, he says Sushant's portrayal of Byomkesh has created a new image of the detective.
"Audiences have a strong impression of Byomkesh Bakshy on their minds as they have been reading about him in books and have watched a TV series on him too, but what I can see now is that after Sushant's portrayal of Byomkesh Bakshy, the audience's impression has changed," the filmmaker said.
Also starring Swastika Mukherjee, the film, based on Saradindu Bandyopadhyay's fictional detective Byomkesh Bakshy, released on April 3.
Got any questions abt #DetectiveByomkeshBakshy? Your chance to ask the real Bakshy Babu tomorrow after 7.45 show ;-)
Sushant Singh Rajput's triumphant performance in Detective Byomkesh Bakshi has taken his career to another level. He discusses with Subhash K Jha his feelings of relief and joy for being accepted as the new face of the iconic detective.
You've completely transformed into Byomkesh?
Thank you.I think the role and the performance helped me to understand myself better. The most important thing is to recognize the dark areas within your character , for example Byomkesh is a novice and he's just stepping into a new life, and he doesn't understand the art of seduction.
But when you are being seduced by Swastika Mukherjee you don't look like such a novice?
Ha ha. There was a lot to that scene which was cut.
Did you expect this kind of ovation?
I knew one thing. Byomkesh was my most honest portrayal ever. And I am talking about all the theatre, television and cinema that I've done.
What was your reference point for the character?
My director Dibakar Bannerjee told me that the way Uttam Kumar played Byomkesh in Satyajit Ray'sChidiyakhana is the way my character would be later in his life. But he was very clear that I didn't have to be like Uttam Kumar in this film.Dibakar briefed me on Byomkesh's past present and future. Then he began to tell about the things that my Byomkesh would not be doing.I actually ended up playing Byomkesh exactly the way Dibakar wanted me to, though all along I kept thinking I was playing him the way I wanted him to.
Your physical transformation as Byomkesh is astonishing?
I had to work a lot on that.Dibakar sketched out a look for me. Then he told me to watch films of the 1940s and 50s to understand the aspirations. I saw loads of films from those two decades.For four months I stayed at home and watched films and got into character. I wanted to make sure that I didn't end up trying to run walk or slouch like a man from that era when I started shooting.
What about Byomkesh's awful food habits , like aloo bhaja with tea?
Oh yes, I ate like Byomkesh.I ate so much Baighan and Aloo bhaja.For a month I was in Kolkata for recce before shooting.We went to random families for meals and conversations. Every day I visited two families in Kolkata for food and talk. They've very strong opinions on food, literature, culture and music.At the same time I also got to know about the protocol at the dining table in a Bengali household. You can't go straight to the mutton . You have to first make your from the parwal to the aloo bhaja.
Didn't this ruin your digestive system?
Of course it did! I got to know about my troubled digestive system every morning. But luckily the food was part of preparation. Once we started shooting I didn't have to be a food slob. But I really enjoyed the food orgy specially the cham-cham, rashogolla and mishti dohi.
Are you now looking forward to a film that you can slip in and slip out of?
It would be a welcome change to just slip into a role and then be done with it in two months. But I don't think I can do that kind of a film. Not after the experience that I've gone through. I don't think I'll be able to do film where I fully understand everything in the first reading.
Please explain?
It's to do with the reason why we make films. If a director like Dibakar had all the answers he wouldn't make films . Filmmaking for him and acting for me has to a journey of exploration. If I've all the answers from the start there is no point in going into a film.
Also, the audiences' expectations towards your performance has increased?
Yes.Earlier I could afford to be selfish. I did films for own creative satisfaction. But now I admit there is sense of responsibility. I've to think about audiences' expectations.
How do you get such real characters ?
All the characters that I've played so far in Kai Po Che, Shuddh Desi Romance and now Byomkesh...I've looked at them as individuals. When I was playing Byomkesh I was told I was looking under-confident. But that is the journey of the character and I've to go along with it.When Rajit Kapoor played Byomkesh in the Doordarshan serial he played him as a seasoned sleuth . He was aware of all his moves as a detective. I played a novice ,a virgin-detective. I couldn't have been as confident as Rajit. Mujhe lagta hai thodi insecurity thodi vulnerability are essential . You must recognize the character's weaknesses and strengths.
As promised here we are @itsSSR !! I love you tooo .. I am drooling over this Bakshi:)
@RJAlleyah@itsSSR & @DibakarBanerjee are LIVE @Fever_104FM ON @anuraagpandey #CelebratingByomkesh
Celebrating @byomkeshbakshy @anuraagpandey @itsSSR @yrf tune in now @Fever_104FM
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