PremiumByomkesh Hotyamancha: Abir Chatterjee lays down four reasons why this film is different from the other Byomkesh films
The actor, who plays Detective Byomkesh Bakshi in multiple films, points out the USPs of the latest Byomkesh.
Last Updated: 02.53 PM, Aug 12, 2022
Abir Chatterjee started playing Byomkesh Bakshi in 2010 in Anjan Dutt’s Byomkesh Bakshi. After Arindam Sil started helming the Byomkesh franchise in 2015, the actor continued to appear as the sleuth with Sohini Sarkar as Satyabati. After Har Har Byomkesh, Byomkesh Pawrbo and Byomkesh Gotro, Abir, Sohini and Arindam are back together with Byomkesh Hotyamancha, which was released on August 11. While talking exclusively with OTTplay, the actor pointed out the USPs of the latest Byomkesh vis-a-vis the other three.
Proper whodunit:
Byomkesh Hotyamancha is based on Sharadindu Bandyopadhyay’s incomplete work, Bishupal Bodh. The literary work does not reveal the identity of the killer. Abir said, “First of all, this is a proper whodunit. People who read Bishupal Badh know who gets killed. But for the first time, there is a Byomkesh film in which no one knows who the murderer is and what the motive is. In other Byomkesh films, though we make a whodunnit, it turns into a how-done-it because almost everybody knows the murderer. This is different.
Not a travelogue:
Earlier, all three Arindam’s Byomkesh has set outside Kolkata. This shows the ’70s Kolkata. “This is the first Arindam Sil’s Byomkesh that is set in Kolkata and not a travelogue. Har Har Byomkesh is set in Varanasi, Byomkesh Pawrbo in Dooars and Byomkesh Gotro in Mussoorie. This one is in Kolkata and the film reflects the socio-political turmoil of the 70s city of joy.
Theatre meets film:
The murder in Byomkesh Hotyamancha takes place right on the stage during a theatre performance. The film involves a lot of theatre actors. They act on stage, as well as, in front of the camera. “There is a play panning out on stage within the film. So there are stage actors who are acting in cinema and there are other actors. The film also focuses on the theatre scene of Kolkata during that time,” Abir said.
Murder right in front of Byomkesh:
The murder takes place on stage while Byomkesh was watching the show. “For the first time, a murder takes place right in front of Byomkesh. The sleuth feels obligated to solve the case and takes the charge. He knows this crime will be solved by him and he will charge no remuneration,” said Abir.