Showing posts with label Sherlock Holmes. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Sherlock Holmes. Show all posts
Benedict Cumberbatch is not playing Shekhar, right? Nor is Robert Downey Jr. I am playing Shekhar-Kay Kay Menon
8:17 AM
With Shekhar Home reimagining Arthur Conan Doyle’s famed detective Sherlock Holmes in 1990’s India, Kay Kay on how the setting influenced his acting
Letty Mariam Abraham (MID-DAY; August 13, 2024)
If Kay Kay Menon features in a project, it features in our watch-list. And if it blends his acting prowess with Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s much-loved work, Sherlock Holmes, it’s a no-brainer. That explains why we’re looking forward to Shekhar Home. The Jio Cinema series reimagines the iconic detective in the setting of 1990s India. Playing the famed detective can be a big draw for any actor, but Menon says it was the story’s adaptation that attracted him deeply.
“I normally don’t go with inhibitions at all. I go with an open mind [when approaching] any script. This story is set in a sleepy town called Lonepur in the 1990s, without telecommunication, mobile phones, or Zoom meetings. It felt so good while reading it that I was transported to that era,” says the actor.
Helmed by Srijit Mukherji and Rohan Sippy, the mystery series also stars Ranvir Shorey, Rasika Dugal and Kirti Kulhari. Over the years, there have been many adaptations of Doyle’s detective series, including the hugely popular Sherlock, fronted by Benedict Cumberbatch, and Robert Downey Jr’s Sherlock Holmes (2009). Didn’t the fear of comparisons cross his mind? Menon says he embraced the challenge without falling into the trap of comparison.
“That is a trap. If I think like that, then I would never be able to perform. Benedict Cumberbatch is not playing Shekhar, right? Nor is Robert [Downey Jr]. I am playing Shekhar. I don’t look at it from the prism of something that has already been done. Otherwise, every love story would seem like Romeo-Juliet and Heer-Ranjha. I go with the principle that this is a unique script and given to me only, and I need to do justice to it.”
Holmes’ biggest strength is his power of deduction. The actor is quick to admit that he doesn’t have his subject’s observation skills. So, he embodied the character by gleaning out his other characteristics from the script, even letting the fictional town’s mood influence the role.
“I found that there’s a certain pace and rhythm that Shekhar sets, irrespective of the situation that he is in. I also represented Lonepur, that sleepy languid nature of the town seeping into this person. I let myself be; the mannerisms and body language happened. I don’t design as an actor. It’s all slightly transcendental.”
He adds that the production team had to carry out extensive recces before finalizing Bholpur and Haldia in West Bengal as the locations for the fictional town.
What added flavour to the story is that it was helmed by Sippy and Mukherji, each bringing their distinct voice.
“Their voices are very different. Srijit has a stereophonic voice, while Rohan has a softer voice. They are a powerhouse of talent and know how to go about a story. When I was doing Special Ops, I worked with both Neeraj [Pandey] and Shivam [Nair]. I love seeing the jugalbandi. Cinema is the most collaborative art possible.”
Sherlock Holmes makers to verify if Detective Byomkesh Bakshy is inspired from their film?
8:01 AM
Sonali Joshi Pitale (MID-DAY; October 10, 2014)
If sources are to believed, then Dibakar Banjerjee’s upcoming whodunit, Detective Byomkesh Bakshy, is not exactly based on the exploits of the eponymous fictional character in Sharadindu Bandyopadhyay’s novel. Instead, it bears uncanny resemblance to Sherlock Holmes written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. This buzz is reportedly drawing the producers of the 2009 Robert Downey Jr-starrer, Sherlock Holmes, to India.
A crew member of Banerjee’s team says, “The original stories in Byomkesh Bakshi were inspired by Sherlock Holmes. However, the presentation and treatment of the film is more or less original. In fact, the production house had strictly warned the crew not to talk about the film and the way it has been shot. But, somehow, the makers of the Hollywood film got an inkling of the so-called resemblance and are now interested to see rushes of our film, which stars Sushant Singh Rajput.”
It is alleged that a unit hand leaked the information, which reached the international studio that made Sherlock Holmes. Another source says, “We got to know that the studio is keen to adapt their film in India soon. So they feel that Banerjee’s film will create problems for them. The main areas of conflict for them are that in their Hollywood film, Sherlock’s aide is a writer. Here, Byomkesh’s friend, Ajit, in also a writer. Sherlock shares accommodation with Dr Watson and Byomkesh and Ajit share a room in their college hostel.”
Dibakar remained unavailable for comment.
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