V Narayan (THE TIMES OF INDIA; July 19, 2020)

Mumbai: The statement of filmmaker Aditya Chopra of Yash Raj Films was recorded on Saturday as part of the police probe into the suicide of actor Sushant Singh Rajput.

An officer from Bandra police station said, “Chopra said his production house had signed Sushant for three movies of which two were completed. The third ‘Paani’ did not work out due to some creative differences between him [Chopra] and director Shekhar Kapur.”

Chopra reportedly told them that there were no issues between Sushant and him. DCP Abhishek Trimukhe confirmed that Chopra’s statement was recorded.

The police have also recorded statements of four doctors who treated Sushant for depression.

A police officer said they have gone through Sushant’s bank account and they had found a few transactions that were done by his girlfriend Rhea Chakraborty but it seems it was done with his knowledge.
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BOMBAY TIMES (July 19, 2020)

Mumbai Police on Saturday recorded the statement of Yash Raj Films’ (YRF) head, Aditya Chopra, as part of their investigation into actor Sushant Singh Rajput’s death by suicide on June 14. He was reportedly interrogated for over four hours. The police are yet to release the filmmaker’s statement.

However, according to reports, Aditya Chopra refuted the claims made by filmmaker Shekhar Kapur, who had said that Sushant had slipped into depression after Paani, a project backed by YRF, was shelved.

Sushant had reportedly signed a three-film contract with the banner, and starred in two of their productions — Shuddh Desi Romance (2013) and Detective Byomkesh Bakshy (2015). He was scheduled to work in a third project — Shekhar Kapur’s Paani — but it got shelved.

Over the past few weeks, Mumbai Police have recorded the statements of several industry colleagues and friends of Sushant, including actress Rhea Chakraborty (his girlfriend), Sanjana Sanghi (his co-star of his last film, Dil Bechara) and filmmaker Sanjay Leela Bhansali. On June 28, the police had also questioned Shanoo Sharma, a casting director at YRF, in connection with the probe.

Meanwhile, the hashtag #ImmediateCBIForSSR started trending on Twitter yesterday, as netizens kept demanding a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the actor’s death.

A LOOK AT SUSHANT SINGH RAJPUT’S BOX OFFICE PERFORMANCE

June 14 seemed like any other Sunday. But then, at 2 PM IST, news came in that prominent actor Sushant Singh Rajput has ended his life. It was a bolt from the blue and has led to brouhaha like never before. Instead of getting into it, let’s look at the track record of this actor at the box office.

Sushant Singh Rajput has been a part of 11 films till now. Of which, 9 have already released in cinemas. Drive released on Netflix while Dil Bechara, the official remake of The Fault In Our Stars, remains unreleased. Out of 9, 6 films were decent successes at the box office.

He started his career with Abhishek Kapoor’s Kai Po Che, released on February 22, 2013. Despite having newcomers and being a bit of a niche film, it created buzz among urban audiences. It opened at Rs. 3.68 crore which was great and it’s lifetime was Rs. 43.58 crore. The same year, he was then seen in Yash Raj Films’ Shuddh Desi Romance. This film created a bigger hype which led to a fine opening of Rs. 6.38 crore. Incidentally, it co-starred Parineeti Chopra, whose sister Priyanka Chopra’s film Zanjeer released on the same day. Zanjeer was more commercial and yet had a dismal opening of Rs. 2.84 crore. Shuddh Desi Romance meanwhile netted a lifetime of Rs. 46.26 crore. It became clear that in a span of 6 months, this newcomer had given two successive hits.

In 2014, he was seen in a 20-minute appearance in Aamir Khan’s PK. The actor rocked the show despite limited screen time and in fact, dominated the climax. It emerged as an all-time blockbuster, earning Rs. 337.72 crore.

Few months later, in April 2015, he acted in Detective Byomkesh Bakshy, directed by Dibakar Banerjee. Despite being very niche, Sushant’s presence helped the film get an opening of Rs. 4.01 crore. The word of mouth was positive but wasn’t enough to attract audiences in hordes due to it’s theme. Hence, it ended it’s lifetime with Rs. 26.21 crore. This was Sushant Singh Rajput’s first flop.

1 ½ years later, in September 2016, Sushant Singh Rajput bounced back with M S Dhoni - The Untold Story. It was based on the life of celebrated cricketer Mahendra Singh Dhoni. Despite having a run time of 185 minutes, it had created humongous excitement and had an opening of Rs. 20.13 crore! Sadly, the word of mouth was a bit mixed. Hence, it had a lifetime of Rs. 119.09 crore. Though this was a huge figure, the high cost of the film prevented it from being hailed a ‘Super Hit’. It was, at best, a hit.

In June 2017, he gave another flop in the form of Raabta. It was a much-talked about film thanks to Sushant’s pairing with Kriti Sanon. Songs worked but trailer didn’t. Hence, the opening was poor at Rs. 4.63 crore. Word of mouth was horrible and hence, collections came down in the weekend instead of increasing. Its lifetime was just Rs. 21.68 crore.

Almost after 1 ½ years, Sushant Singh Rajput’s Kedarnath released. The word of mouth was mixed but the opening was huge, at Rs. 7.09 crore. It’s lifetime was huge at Rs. 70 crore. 6 months later, he was seen in Sonchiriya. This was an odd man out. Films like Raabta and Detective Byomkesh Bakshy at least had some sort of respectable opening. Sonchiriya, meanwhile, opened horribly at Rs. 1 crore! There was no growth and the lifetime was a mere Rs. 5.63 crore! The word of mouth was excellent but the theme was such that audiences were just not interested.

Sushant Singh Rajput’s last theatrical release was Chhichhore. It was directed by Dangal director Nitesh Tiwari and produced by Fox Star Studios and Nadiadwala Grandsons. It opened at Rs. 6.92 crore which was decent. However, the word of mouth was crazy and hence, audiences went to see it in hordes. From Rs. 6.92 crore on Friday, it jumped to an insane Rs. 16 crore on Sunday! The numerous holidays in the weekdays along with public response helped the film immensely. It’s lifetime was Rs. 147.32 crore and hence, it emerged as a super duper hit!

Hence, one can see, Sushant Singh Rajput’s track record, despite flops, was quite good. Even opening day numbers were fine, though it was never record breaking in most films. Yet, the opening day figures prove audiences liked his work and came to see the films for him, amongst other reasons. It’s highly unfortunate that he’s no more today. If he was, he would have done quite well for himself and given us many more entertaining and meaningful films. RIP.

Avijit Ghosh (THE TIMES OF INDIA; June 15, 2020)

Actor Sushant Singh Rajput, who brought a riveting vitality to his performances in films like ‘Kai Po Che’, ‘M S Dhoni - The Untold Story’ and ‘Detective Byomkesh Bakshy!’, was found dead at his Bandra residence on Sunday. The 34-year-old actor’s Bollywood career barely stretched to seven years. But his impact and imprint were distinct, even as a person. In a tweet, Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan recalled his support during Kerala floods.

A highlight of Sushant’s acting career was the way he recreated the MS Dhoni persona for the 2016 biopic. The former cricket captain is one of the most ‘watched’ Indians in the country. Unable to reproduce the same gait or style of play would have made the performance feel hollow. But Sushant rose to the challenge.

Dhoni’s railway colleague Deepak Singh, who spent several days with Sushant during the film’s shooting at Kharagpur, was gobsmacked by what he saw. “The way he was emulating every mannerism of Dhoni, right from his batting stance, the helicopter shot and running between the wickets…he was a perfectionist,” he recalled.

Sushant also impressed with his interpretation of Bengali writer Saradindu Bandopadhyay’s detective protagonist, Byomkesh Bakshy. To prepare for the part, he would move incognito from Lalbazar to China Town to Bosepukur in Kolkata. Those involved with the project remember how he would drop at a roadside tea stall and observe how “Bengalis loved to sit cross-legged with the right leg perched atop the left one”.

Director Arindam Sil, who was the film’s line producer, said, “Initially, I wasn’t too convinced because of his height and smallish face. But (director) Dibakar (Banerjee) asked me to wait and see how he looks like the character…He fit into the character so well.”

Three more roles stand out in his short career: Sarfaraz, the intense Pakistani lover of an Indian girl, in the Aamir Khan blockbuster ‘PK’; the sacrificing Muslim porter of ‘Kedarnath’, and the father in ‘Chhichhore’ (2019), who redefines the idea of a winner to his son and brings him back from the brink.

Yet a career in cinema wasn’t his first choice. A bright student from Patna’s St Karen’s High School — he won a national physics Olympiad contest — he was ranked 7th in AIEEE. An astronomy enthusiast, he took admission in Delhi College of Engineering in 2003.

Chunnu Singh, a cousin, said the family settled in Delhi after the death of his mother in Patna in 2002. “His father Kamal Kishore Singh, a retired government employee, stayed with Sushant in Delhi when he went there for higher studies,” he said. But Sushant never finished the course. He first joined Shiamak Davar’s dance troupe and later Barry John’s drama classes. Success in television came in the role of a mechanic in ‘Pavitra Rishta’. His energy was more noticeable in dance shows like ‘Jhalak Dikhla Jaa’, which paved the path for Bollywood.

On the Bollywood firmament, Sushant flashed like a meteor. He had so much more to offer.

(Inputs from Mohua Das in Mumbai, Ramashankar & Faryal Rumi in Patna, Amaghna Banerjee & Sujay Khanra in Kolkata & Kharagpur, Priyanka Dasgupta)

Madhureeta Mukherjee (BOMBAY TIMES; March 17, 2017)

Nayandeep Rakshit (DNA; October 4, 2016)


He made his debut more than three-and-a-half years ago with Kai Po Che in 2013, as one of three leads. “The film’s opening day was Rs 3.75 crore. His solo release Shuddh Desi Romance (2013) was a little better at Rs 6.5 crore. PK (Rs 26 crore) had him in a guest appearance, but it worked solely on Aamir’s star power. It was disappointing, though, when Detective Byomkesh Bakshy (2015) only garnered Rs 4.2 crore on the first Friday,” informs a trade pundit.

His peers were racing ahead. “Not just his peers Varun Dhawan (ABCD 2), Sidharth Malhotra (Ek Villain) and Arjun Kapoor (2 States), even his seniors like Ranveer Singh (Bajirao Mastani) and juniors like Tiger Shroff (Baaghi) were doing so much better,” our expert adds, “Each one of them was either scoring a century or delivering back-to-back hits. Sushant was losing out on precious time. His contemporaries were delivering big hits all around and he was not even in touching distance of the kind of numbers these films were getting. His biggest grosser was Shuddh Desi Romance (Rs 48 crore) which means he was yet to hit even a half-century.”

Well, with MS Dhoni — The Untold Story, everything has changed as the opening-day numbers are akin to the ‘helicopter shot’ the cricketer he plays, is known for. “Now, SSR has set a new record for emerging stars in the industry,” an industry veteran observes.

All of this makes the feat that Sushant has achieved with MSD look so much bigger as he is the first actor to have surpassed the Rs 20 crore mark as a solo hero. At the end of the day, it all boils down to the records in the book and there, it has been registered clearly that Sushant has scored really huge with this Neeraj Pandey film.

It remains to be seen how much longer his innings will last at the box-office crease. While a century is a given, a feat over and above that would make it an altogether different ballgame for him.

Amit Karn (MID-DAY; June 26, 2016)

Truth is stranger than fiction. Bollywood films are facing tough competition from Hollywood films on their own soil. Several filmmakers, like Mukesh Bhatt, have sounded off an alarm to save Hindi films from dwindling box office collections. It is well known that Hollywood filmmakers and studios work in a monopolistic way. They have realised the importance of the Indian market and sometimes, even release their films here first.

Big bite
The collections of Hollywood films have multiplied in India in the last five years. Initially, they would only play at 400 screens across the country, now it is over 1,500 screens. For instance, Jurassic World (2015) released in over 65 countries worldwide. In the US, it released in only 440 theatres, while overseas, it was running in over 800 theatres. In India alone, it was released in 2,300 screens across the country. No big Bollywood films released a week earlier or a week after after its release. Mohit Suri’s Hamari Adhuri Kahani, starring Vidya Balan and Emraan Hashmi, took the risk, but paid the price at the box office. In another instance, in 2015, Fast & Furious 7 got double the screens that Detective Byomkesh Bakshy got. While Fast and Furious 7 got 2,800 screens, Byomkesh got 1, 240.

Says Vikram Bhatt, “They have aced the genres of animation, sci-fi and action, due to which the multiplexes favour them. This is not a wrong move as they are raking in the moolah. But the biggest impact is on small budget films. During the festive season, it is difficult to procure release dates as the Khans and Kapoors dominate. During the summer months, they release animation films to target the vacation crowd. The IPL takes care of the rest as filmmakers do not want to release their films during the cricket season. So where do the small filmmakers go?”

Good run
Saurabh Saxena, COO, Carnival Cinemas says, “Our earnings from Bollywood and Hollywood are the same. But what is happening is that Hollywood films are now running successfully even in the second week. For instance, The Jungle Book did phenomenal business in the second and third week. It was a similar situation during Captain America and The X Men.”

Target audience
According to film distributors, Hollywood is making a planned effort to target India. They are releasing their films here before the US. The Jungle Book released worldwide on April 15, but in India it hit theatres on April 8. Commenting about the scenario, Amitabh Bachchan says, “I had started ABCL in 1995 and at that time I had said that we need to look after our production houses. The Americans are coming. In 1990, when I was in New York, I met a Hollywood studio head. This man, in a mere 30 minutes, told me the history of the Hindi film industry. I was shocked. He told me to look after our house as the Yankees are coming.”

Irrfan, who has seen the best of Hollywood and Bollywood, says, “Earlier, we didn’t had to worry about such a situation. If we do not make films that are inspired by our roots, we will not be able to take them on.” Adds Vijay Singh, CEO, Fox Star India, “It is the survival of the fittest. In the marketplace, only what is really good, sells. For example, Neerja and Kapoor And Sons were our films and ran successfully in theatres for several weeks. The audience has the right to choose what is best for them. If we enforce protective policies, we are stealing the rights of the audience to choose what they want to watch.”

Chinese model
Filmmaker Mukesh Bhatt counters Vijay Singh’s logic. The veteran says, “In China, only 35 foreign films can release in a year. This is a government directive. This is the case even though there are 50,000 screens. We have only 8,000 screens. Healthy competition will happen when there is a fight among equal talents. Their films have a budget of 500 to 1,200 crores, but our films have a meagre budget of barely 50-60 crore. How can we match their quality? Unfortunately, the government is not taking action on this.”

Cine historian Jai Prakash Chouksey says, “In Bollywood, there is no unity among filmmakers. Big stars get their dates and number of screens. The small budget filmmakers are fighting among themselves to get an audience. The late Indira Gandhi had introduced a bill to limit Hollywood releases. She had the foresight and vision even in the 1970s. But since then, no other government bothered to do anything.”

The actor has cut ties with Yash Raj Films; also, the banner is no longer producing Paani
Chaya Unnikrishanan (DNA; December 10, 2015)


Choices, choices!
Rajput’s next film after SDR was YRF’s Detective Byomkesh Bakshy!, that had him in the titular role. All was well and his third film with the banner was supposed to be Paani directed by Shekhar Kapur. In fact, Sushant opted out of his Kai Po Che director Abhishek Kapoor’s next, Fitoor, to be a part of Paani. However, the twist in the tale is that YRF has backed out. They are no longer producing the film. And Shekhar is left in the lurch with his ambitious project. Sources say that he is now looking for an international producer to back his film.

The long wait
Shekhar, who had been waiting three years for the film to roll (it was in 2012 that YRF tied up with the director), it must be a huge setback. After all, he put his career on pause for three years and now, it seems like a waste. As it is, the director is known to invest a long time in one film and the fact that it has again hit a roadblock, can’t be easy on him, especially when he waited, trusting Aditya Chopra.

In limbo
But it’s Sushant, who has more reason to feel betrayed by the Chopra scion. First, he let go of Fitoor because his dates were clashing with Paani. Then he was approached for Ram-Leela before Ranveer Singh, but couldn’t take it up because of the YRF contract.

The last straw
However, it was losing Befikre to Ranveer that got his goat. Says an insider, “Adi had promised Sushant Befikre and then gave it to Ranveer without informing the SDR actor. This upset him and he has decided not to associate with YRF anymore.”

A spokesperson for YRF said, “Sushant is no longer a part of our talent team. We wish him all the best in future endeavours.”

Subhash K Jha (DNA; October 29, 2015)


Apparently, producer Aditya Chopra is bullish about the second installment, despite the film being a box-office disappointment. Dibakar confirms, “Aditya Chopra is keen that we carry Byomkesh’s story forward. Detective Byomkesh was always planned as a series of films based on the stories of Sharadindu Bandopadhyay.”

Sushant Singh Rajput, who played the detective, went all-out to bring him to life and was deeply disappointed when all his efforts went unrewarded. But it seems he hasn’t lost his enthusiasm to play the part and is expected to return to play the sleuth.

Box-office success may have given new age film writers Juhi Chaturvedi, Urmi Juvekar and Himanshu Sharma a boost, but writing in Bollywood is no smooth ride. The trio recount their  journey which is no less than a film’s script
Archita Kashyap (MID-DAY; June 28, 2015)

This year, when Piku, NH10, Tanu Weds Manu Returns and Dum Laga Ke Haisha did robust business, there was a rekindled passion for good screen writing. With filmmaker Vidhu Vinod Chopra and actor Ranveer Singh speaking up for better pay for scriptwriters, and studios paying for script development, the film writer’s image has begun to move away from a struggling, emaciated, jhola-sporting individual to that of a well-paid, treasured creative mind.

The real story
However, truth as always, lies somewhere in between. Scripts are being recognised yes, but their value remains discounted. Uncertainty and lack of clarity dominate the fate of a film even when it is being made.

The Film Writers’ Association has a new, modern office, but their battle remains age-old. Sustaining the dream of writing a script often means working in alternate professions, as writing simply doesn’t pay enough as a career.

We catch up with three unusual script writers, all from non-filmy backgrounds and with unconventional journeys into film writing, to get a whiff of the new age film writer’s story. Their writing is flavoured with the authenticity of their experiences, but their stories off-screen are no less fascinating.


Balancing act
Juhi Chaturvedi (Vicky Donor, Piku; pictured on top) is a rare screenwriter who hasn’t struggled to make ends meet by balancing an advertising career with scriptwriting. “When I was writing Vicky Donor, I didn’t tell anyone and I kept writing along with my full-time job. That meant my day would not end because I would work from morning to late nights in office, and then write the film. I would get about two to three hours of sleep for many months. It was just not practical to focus only on film writing.”

Born and brought up in Lucknow, Juhi studied at the Loretto Convent and Lucknow College of Art. She joined the ad agency Ogilvy & Mather in the art department in 1996 in New Delhi and later, shifted to copywriting. She rented a place in Lajpat Nagar, the almost authentic neighbourhood that featured in her film Vicky Donor (2012).

Juhi moved to Mumbai with a job with Leo Burnett in 2008. Her first stint with films was Shoojit Sircar’s yet unreleased Shoebite, for which she wrote the dialogues. “Once I did that film, the freedom, liberty and the canvass that a feature film provides you is phenomenal. It was extremely addictive”, she says. Juhi’s first hit was Vicky Donor (2012), but she only quit advertising a year ago.
 

Taking the plunge
“Even after Piku, I can safely say that it’s only because of my advertising career that I have managed to take this plunge and found the confidence. Ultimately you do have to sustain yourself in Mumbai,” she points out. “While they say script is important and so are writers, somehow the remuneration is still very weak. The whole process itself is lengthy — from the signing amount to the final making of the film — the money comes in fits and starts and it’s very difficult to live on.”

Weighing the options
Paying the rent in Mumbai was a necessity for Himanshu Sharma as well, another Lucknow boy who has hit the jackpot with Tanu Weds Manu Returns — his third collaboration with Aanand L Rai.

He says, “I came to Mumbai to become a director as the medium belongs to them. I hated being an assistant director. Writing needs no investment as such. How many options did I really have at that point of time? I told director Aanand L Rai to listen to my subject and tell me what he thought. He liked it and asked me to write the script. I got paid Rs 20,000 a month to start developing the script, which was the same as an assistant director. For those of us who don’t belong to the city, we need to keep doing odd jobs to sustain ourselves,” he says.


Taking the risk
A graduate of Kirori Mal College, New Delhi, Himanshu (above) studied Hindi literature and was part of Player — the prestigious dramatics society. His career began with a stint at NDTV on a health show. He took a risk by moving to Mumbai and becoming an AD on a Balaji serial, before joining up with Aanand L Rai on his first film, Strangers. He has also assisted Vijay Krishna Acharya on Tashan (2008). “I was pathetic at being an AD, and horrid at scheduling. So writing it was,” he says.

Plan in place
The journey to becoming a script writer was more intentional for Urmi Juvekar (above), Dibakar Bannerjee’s co-writer on Detective Byomkesh Bakshy (2015), Shanghai (2012) and Oye Lucky Lucky Oye (2008). A Master of Social Work, she began working on documentaries and became a screenwriter with Rules — Pyaar Ka Superhit Formula (2001). Urmi explains, “I come from a time when cinema — whether as a director, writer, actor — was not respected. Today, it has completely changed. For me, that certain amount of lack of respectability, really helped me understand why I am doing this. For me, it wasn’t always about the money or about seeing my interview. I chose to do this was because I couldn’t do anything else.”

Surviving the odds
Despite her experience and proven abilities, screen writing doesn’t pay her bills. When not writing a film, she works on commissioned documentaries and other projects. Urmi points out, “If a director makes a film successfully, he gets to sign two to three films after that, but writers don’t — that’s the nature of the job. Once you have gotten a big-ticket job, then you have to sustain completely on the basis of your talent. I have faced situations when scripts get stuck or your work gets stolen, but that’s the nature of the job.”

Uncertain future
That uncertainty hangs as a sword over a writer’s head is common experience for successful scriptwriters. Says Juhi, “There are so many writers out there. You are never at a commanding position as a film writer. Also, writers also get to know that other screenwriters are involved with the same project. Eyebrows were raised when I sought a slightly respectable amount for a script after Vicky Donor. So how then do you expect a film writer to give everything — day and night for a project?”


Money matters
Himanshu though has a different point of view on remuneration for film writing. “Remuneration has improved a lot in the past decade. I guess it also has to do with the work you deliver. It can’t be that every writer or every director is getting paid. Salim-Javed is the biggest thing to have happened to writing in Bollywood. At one point of time, they used to close territories. As a writer, when you show some sort of expertise and experience, then it is valued.”

Even as the issue of monetary compensation lingers unsatisfactorily, that box office success of author-backed films has enhanced the value of the script writer.

“Leading actors are looking for more author-backed roles. At least that conversation is happening as to who is writing the film. People around my family and me have also started valuing writers. They will ask who has written a Tanu Weds Manu Returns (pictured above) or Dil Dhadhakne Do,” says Juhi.

“Writing as a job has become far more important today,” points out Himanshu. However, a well-rounded point on uncertainty in a script writer’s fate is made by Urmi. “Seriously, there is an element of complete panic until you know the fate of your film. A successful film doesn’t mean you are asked by anyone to write another script. There are many intangible components to our profession and unfortunately we can’t wish them away. From a director, or a star, everyone faces problems in the industry at different levels.”

Conclusively, box office validation has, no doubt, helped further the cause of film writing. Having said that, to assume real tangible change has happened is premature. The value of writing is still emerging, and as a career choice, it’s not safe just yet. However, there is no accounting for passion. As is the case with these three screen writers, if one really wants to write a good film, then one will eventually get there — even if it means detouring through day jobs to keep them going.

Priya Gupta (BOMBAY TIMES; June 17, 2015)

Are sarson fields giving way to shorshe? A Punjufied Bollywood is now seeing a range of films crafted with a distinct Bengali sensibility
Anupama Chopra (THE TIMES OF INDIA; May 3, 2015)

DNA (April 10, 2015)

Ranveer Singh who was just discharged from the hospital following a shoulder surgery, is curently resting at home. The actor has been advised complete bed rest for a couple of weeks. He has been catching up on all the films that he missed out. He, however, is upset that he hasn’t been able to watch Sushant Singh Rajput’s latest release. Our source reveals, “Ranveer loves Dibakar Banerjee and his films. He has always mentioned that he is waiting to work with the filmmaker. In fact, he was looking forward to watching Detective Byomkesh Bakshy because he had heard so much about the film. However, due to his injury, he is stuck at home and is very upset on having missed out on the film. Hence, he made a call to Dibakar to apologise for the same and said that once he was out of house arrest, the first thing he would do is head to the nearest theatre to watch the film.”

Filmmaker Dibakar Banerjee, who attempted a contemporary take on the fictional Byomkesh Bakshi featuring Sushant Singh Rajput, talks about the middling to positive reviews to his film, evolving audience sensibilities and more in a no-holds-barred conversation
Asira Tarannum (MID-DAY; April 13, 2015)

Your film, 'Detective Byomkesh Bakshy!' (DBB) has received mixed reactions. What were your expectations?
I didn't know there were mixed reactions. I thought they were polarised reactions, mostly from those who have held on to Sharadindu Bandyopadhyay and his book, Byomkesh, as a fetish. Fortunately, we had anticipated something like this because we knew the animal we were unleashing. The surprise is that the audience, which goes to the theatres to watch a film, has come out saying that it's been an experience. I expected the curious reaction, but not the euphoria over the film.

But hasn't this happened with all your films?
No, this time everyone was saying that Dibakar would sell out. But the opposite happened. This is the best thing to happen because I have gone out of the slot again. Being slotted is my nightmare. With this film, I have avoided the slot at least for a year or two. For the next couple of years, no one will trust me.

But then great filmmakers Manmohan Desai and Basu Chatterjee also worked within a slot...
Mercifully or unfortunately, Manmohan Desai had a short career. God knows what would have happened to him if he had gone forward at that time. With the failing star power of Amitabh Bachchan and other actors in the '70s, it wouldn't have been a good space to be in and that would have been a direct consequence of the slot he was in. But times have changed and we all have to earn respect and money by making films. I am trying to do that so that I can pay my EMIs and for you to keep calling me.

Many have said that it's difficult for a normal audience to understand your film?
Who is the normal audience?

The audience which goes to watch 'Kick'...
Maybe, but I know you can understand it. I also know that you and I are not necessarily more intelligent than the person walking on the road who goes to watch Kick. It's just that we have more time to read and think. Their life is unfortunate and they want an escape. They watch a film to derive the same entertainment which you and I will get from watching a play, or going for a picnic, a night in the company of a lover or music, or perhaps, a trip to Goa. All these are not accessible to them, so they demand those pleasures from one film. So when that film comes, they watch it. But today India has an audience which will get one film Rs 25 crore in a weekend — they belong to our group, people who have time to think. They might watch a film which will tell them they are not dumb. That's all what we are trying to tell the audience through this film.

Did you tell Aditya Chopra (boss of YRF, which produced 'Detective Byomkesh Bakshy!') what kind of a film you will be making and that he may not get the kind of returns he usually does?
The only thing we discussed was that the experience would be drastically different. He said he was game for something which shakes up everything and makes one per cent contribution in changing the taste of this country's audience. Because that's what a Dibakar Banerjee film with Sushant Singh Rajput and YRF production banner may hope to achieve. He feels that today's niche is tomorrow's mainstream.

Would you say this has been your toughest film?
Physically, yes. But fortunately I have been adapting this (Sharadindu Bandopadhyay's book) for the last six-seven years. Urmi (Juvekar) came in and added a valuable layer to the film. The toughest part was writing the script.

When can we expect a sequel to Byomkesh?
I will not make the sequel right now though we have the material for it. Byomkesh has already got a lot of marks for being unexpected, so the sequel has to top it and go beyond the audience's expectations.

Sushant speaks...

Your performance was understated and totally suited the character that we had in mind about Byomkesh. Was that difficult for you to play?
It was deliberate. A lot of people asked me why I was not looking confident in the initial part of the film and I said that was precisely the point. It is so easy as an actor to be confident in front of the camera, but the role required me to be not that confident initially.

We have seen different portrayals of Byomkesh in films and on TV. Were you sceptical about the role?
First, I had convince  myself that I can play this character from the 1940’s. Then there was a sense of responsibility to tell the audience who Byomkesh is. I met some people in Kolkata during my prep and they had very strong opinions about Byomkesh. Although I was skeptical, I was resolute about not letting them down. We got a lot of calls appreciating Byomkesh’s portrayal. Post the film, the biggest changes that I see in myself is clarity of thought and being aware of what  I want.

Do we see you turning producer soon?
Why not? I have been discussing with a few of my close friends about how to sell a film, just for fun. I have nothing worked out as of now.

Who would've thought that metal would make it to Bollywood? But here it is, in film noir like Detective Byomkesh Bakshy!, making viewers sit up with growly vocals and guitar shredding
Ruhi Batra (THE TIMES OF INDIA; April 12, 2015)

Gaurav Dubey (MID-DAY; April 3, 2015)

'Detective Byomkesh Bakshy!' starring Sushant Singh Rajput hits the theatres today, but will apparently fall way behind Hollywood action-thriller 'Furious 7' in terms of screens.

Says a source, "Yash Raj Films (YRF) has acquired a little over 1,000 screens, including some prime ones for the Sushant Singh Rajput film. On the other hand, 'Furious 7' is available both in 3D and IMAX versions. It is a hugely successful franchise with a big fan following across the world and has opened on around 2,200-2,500 screens across India."

On the race for screens, the film's director Dibakar Banerjee says: "It's best to get in touch with the YRF distribution team for the most accurate figures."

A YRF spokesperson says, "We are looking at releasing (the film) in approximately 1,200 screens all (over) India."

Detective films are enjoyed by everyone, in my opinion. Who doesn’t enjoy racking up the brains and trying to solve the mystery before the sleuth in the film succeeds in his/her endaevour? Shockingly, there have been very few detective films in Bollywood. Last year saw the release of 3 such films – Mr Joe B Carvalho, Bobby Jasoos and Samrat & Co. While the first two were disappointing, the latter was a timepass fare but nothing special. Detective Byomkesh Bakshy however shines and emerges as one of the finest detective films of Bollywood, despite its weaknesses!

The story of the movie: Calcutta, 1942. The very young Byomkesh Bakshy (Sushant Singh Rajput) is an aspiring detective and gets his first case when Ajit Banerjee (Anand Tiwari) approaches him to help him find his missing father, Bhuvan Banerjee. Byomkesh looks at the whole thing practically and logically and concludes that Bhuvan Banerjee has been murdered. Ajit refuses to agree Byomkesh’s theory. As Byomkesh tries to prove he’s right, he realizes that the case is much deeper and complex and that it is connected with the drug mafia, Japanese invasion, Chinese goons, political party workers etc.



Detective Byomkesh Bakshy has a thrilling start as a mysterious person makes an entry and creates havoc. The opening titles are too good and the song ‘Jaanam’ adds hugely to the impact. It’s just superb! From here on, there’s no dull moment as Byomkesh Babu tries to solve his first ever case. The introduction of characters like Anguri Devi (Swastika Mukherjee), Satyawati (Divya Menon), Dr Anukul Guha (Neeraj Kabi), Meiyang Chang, Gajanan Sikdar (Kaushik Ghosh), Sukumar (Shivam) and of course Yang Guang add to the mystery and intrigue. The intermission point is a shocker and makes a tremendous impact. Post-intermission, the fun and entertainment continue as the mystery gets deeper. At this juncture, it’s no longer about who’s the culprit – it’s about what led that person to do what he/she eventually did and what shall be gained by that person in the future. It is quite interesting but at the same time, the whole thing gets a bit complicated. Too much of things get clear in a short amount of time in the end resulting in too much of information for the viewers! It is intense and gripping without doubt, though. However, one wishes if the whole complex plot was revealed in a slightly better way to the viewers.

Talking of the performance, Sushant Singh Rajput comes out with flying colours! He’s one of the most talented actors today who has already proved his worth with 3 brilliant films. But undoubtedly, he delivers his finest and most accomplished performance in Detective Byomkesh Bakshy! This is a dream role for any actor and Sushant puts his heart and soul into it. The manner in which he exhibits his wit, sense of humour, vulnerability and arrogance has to be seen! Way to go, Sushant! Anand Tiwari plays his Dr Waston-kinda role with utmost sincerity. He’s not just another hero’s sidekick. He has an important part to play in the narrative and Anand brings out the characteristics of Ajit Babu beautifully.



Swatika Mukherjee is pretty and does a great job in her supporting role. The same goes for Divya Menon. Neeraj Kabi, who rocked in Ship Of Theseus comes up with yet another memorable performance. The actor is sure to go places after this film! Meiyang Chang is adorable as always and does quite well. Kaushik Ghosh, Shivam, Mark Bennington (Deputy Commissioner Wilkie) do a fair job. Takanori Higuchi (Dr. Watanabe) is fine, especially in his entry scene. The actor playing the Chinese goon and his son are quite good.

The music score of the film is quite unconventional and definitely stands out. Jaanam, as aforementioned, is the best of the lot. Calcutta Kiss is foot-tapping while Byomkesh In Love is used in the most unexpected situation in the film that makes for an interesting watch! Background score is minimal but immensely impactful. Nikos Andritsakis’ cinematography is arresting. Vandana Kataria’s production design deserves lot of praise. The sets looked every inch the Calcutta of 1940s! The VFX (Prana Studios) compliment the sets in helping viewers relive the yesteryears. Urmi Juvekar and Dibakar Banerjee’s story is inspired from Satyanweshi, the first story written Sharadindu Bandyopadhyay, the creator of Byomkesh Bakshi. They neatly expanded and made the story more complex so that even the people who have read the story will be in for a surprise. Dialogues don’t reflect the period in which the film is set. It is in fact quite contemporary and hence appeals to the modern youth (same goes for editing, by Manas Mittal and Namrata Rao). Screenplay is gripping although it could have been slightly better and easy to decipher at places. One can say the same about the direction as well, especially towards the end. Also, the character of Anguri and her actions seemed unconvincing to an extent. Also, more light should have been thrown on Sukumar’s track. But nevertheless, a great effort by Dibakar as always! Here’s one filmmaker who has never disappointed even once and always comes up with something entertaining and unconventional everytime! Hats off!

Some of the best scenes:
1. The opening titles
2. Byomkesh meets Dr Guha
3. Byomkesh’s first night at the Boarding House
4. Byomkesh meets Anguri Devi
5. Byomkesh enters the abandoned factory
6. Byomkesh’s meetings with Gajanan Sikdar
7. The intermission point
8. Byomkesh in disguise
9. Byomkesh gets his blood tested
10. The last 20 minutes

On the whole, Detective Byomkesh Bakshy is a well-made suspense thriller that deserves a watch for its gripping storyline, execution, the beautiful period setting, performances and music. Sushant Singh Rajput delivers an outstanding performance while Neeraj Kabi will go places thanks to this film! It is a bit complex and the goings-on become a bit confusing thanks to the manner in which the mystery unravels so quickly in the end. Nevertheless, a great effort and kudos to Yash Raj Films for backing such an unconventional film and giving it all the support that it requires so that it reaches to more number of people!

My rating - *** ½  out of 5!

WILL DETECTIVE BYOMKESH BAKSHY GIVE A ROCKING START TO 2ND QUARTER OF 2015?

The first quarter of 2015 has ended and it has been quite poor, as discussed last week. Now the flow of biggies and interesting films will kickstart and the first film to release is Detective Byomkesh Bakshy. It’s a significant flick as this is the first time that Dibakar Banerjee and Yash Raj Films have joined hands. Sushant Singh Rajput plays the lead role and from the promos, the movie looks like an interesting whodunit. The film is set in 1940s Calcutta and that era is brilliantly portrayed, as evident from the promos. Since there was no space for song and dance in the film, the songs are unconventional are as well and have managed to get noticed to an extent. Besides Sushant, there’s Anand Tiwari, Meiyang Chang and Swastika Mukherjee in the film. The identity of the villain has been kept under wraps and it’s expected to be a big surprise package.

However, the excitement for the film is limited. Since there’s no conventional romantic angle in the film, the songs are composed accordingly and have a niche quality. And normally Hindi movies are promoted through songs. But since Detective Byomkesh Bakshy songs are such, the promotion has got affected to an extent. Hence, it’s difficult to say if it’ll have a mainstream appeal. Hence, opening might be average despite the film releasing on Good Friday holiday. But with good word of mouth, it can pick up. Secondly, the big Hollywood release Fast & Furious 7 that also releases tomorrow can prove detrimental to its commercial prospects to an extent.

Detective Byomkesh Bakshy looks like an exciting product. Here’s hoping it works, if it’s made well!

WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE DETECTIVE BYOMKESH BAKSHY AND WHY? DO LET ME KNOW!

Hiren Kotwani (BOMBAY TIMES; April 1, 2015)