Detective Byomkesh Bakshy : The Bugle's Verdict

Dibakar Banerjee had taken up the task of capturing Sharadindu Bandhopadhyay’s popular Bengali detective on the silver screen. The venture has materialised into Detective Byomkesh Bakshy! The Bugle would like to declare that with this one, the ace has outshone himself, with style.

The year is 1943. The city is Calcutta, and British India is reeling under the effects of World War II. A young Bihari-Bengali student (Bakshy) is approached by a man to investigate his father’s disappearance. Little does he know about the events that are about to unfold, and the world he is about to get involved in – one which involves deceit, espionage, Chinese mafia, and a drug lord’s sinister plans to make Calcutta, the opium-capital of the contemporary world.

It's really a wonder that such a film came out from the Yash Raj banner, who are known for their romantic dramas, and of late, youth comedies. Dibakar has come up with acclaimed films such as Khosla ka Ghosla and Oye Lucky Lucky Oye. He has always shown great control over the narratives and the structure of his films, which were primarily comedies. With this film, he has explored new territory, and gone on to achieve immense mastery over the neo-noir genre too. The depiction of imperial Calcutta, with its dark, morbid streets, the atmosphere of perpetual war tension, and the frequent air bomb raids, set a perfect mood of suspense and anarchy. Add to that the modern Gothic background score, and you get the perfect setup of dystopia and conspiracy. The plot is very well-conceived, with unexpected twists at every passing minute. One must be glued the entire time, because if even one point of interest is missed, you might be having quite the hard time understanding the film. You know how it felt like while watching Inception 2-3 times to finally grasp the plot fully.

The movie is especially remarkable owing to the equally remarkable performances of its well-picked cast, and we refer in particular to Neeraj Kabi. For those who don’t know him, he’s the monk from Ship of Theseus. He has proved himself to be one of the most skilled character actors, Bollywood can boast of at present. His portrayal of the multifaceted Dr.Guha, actually left us gasping for breath, and short for words. Sushant Singh Rajput also gels in very comfortably in the shoes of Byomkesh Bakshy and has a commanding screen presence. He maintains a correct balance of intelligence and childish curiosity, while portraying a meticulous man, who has exceptional deduction skills, out on a quest he doesn’t fully comprehend yet.

The music utilised in the film is unconventional and creative. The blend of the imperial setting, with modern punk-rock and grunge music, is an experience that has never been witnessed before in a work of Indian cinema.

If one is a fan of Tintin comics, it can be easily observed that the movie picks up many plot points from his fifth book, The Blue Lotus.  

Verdict - Like a slow-cooked stew, the neo-noir film is a well-prepared recipe, marinating in the glorious work of it’s talented cast, the rich contemporary setting, and the modern Gothic music, leaving viewers hungry for some more Byomkesh Bakshy. We anticipate a sequel in the works.