Sushant Singh Rajput talks about 'Detective Byomkesh Bakshy!'

Three film old yet learning, Sushant Singh Rajput is a revelation in all his films. But with Detective Byomkesh Bakshy, he trod into a little riskier territory. But his confidence remains unhindered.

He does not look like a Bengali and his accent is unlike any other Bengali. But Sushant admits that his month long stay in Bengali has made him a half Bengali. From the streets of North Bengal to Esplanade and the doi, phuchkas to the biryani, Sushant loves it all. Bengal has its new Byomkesh. Aami Shotti Bolchhi! 

Facing a volley of questions with a smile each time, Sushant explains why DBB is his most honest performance and why the success of DBB might just open doors for other filmmakers to try something as exciting, risky and challenging as Byomkesh... Over to our Byomkesh of the moment. 

When you make a film on Byomkesh, comparisons are bound to happen. Were there any apprehensions in your mind?

I had not watched the films before I started shooting for DBB. But I knew about Feluda. I read about Feluda and Byomkesh as well. But if you ask me whether I was apprehensive, I would say no! As an actor, when you work on a character, you don't think about anything else. You just think of yourself as the character and that's it. I am very selfish as an actor (Laughs) I just thought about our Byomkesh, although it's not very different from the original Byomkesh. We also punctuated the fact that this is Byomkesh's first case. So there are few things in the film which were never there in Saradindu stories. We also talk about so many things happening in Calcutta at that point which made a different context where a normal guy who is very intelligent but not very seasoned as a detective becomes Detective Byomkesh Bakshy. I was thinking about how to make all these things look right on screen. So there was no time to think about Feluda or other Byomkesh films (Smiles)

You guys are showing Byomkesh starting from scratch, which was never there in any other film adaptations.. 

You will see the transformation of Byomkesh and then by the end of it, he realises few things - not only how to solve cases in an efficient manner but he also realises the importance of close people around. He is a loner when we start with and he thought that he will get away with that. But you will see that Byomkesh had only one thing he was craving for- companionship! He didn't realise it that way. So, there are many levels in which he understands few things and then he becomes Byomkesh by the end of it. We also have bought the rights of all the stories by Saradindu. We are also planning to making it into a franchise, if this movie does well.

You took two years to make DBB. By the time the character evolves, do you think the novelty of the entire theme will be lost somewhere?

Well, when I said we are making films on all the 32 stories of Byomkesh, I did not mean we are making 32 films. Actually, even DBB is not just about one story, it's a mix of three stories. We have the rights of using as many stories as we want for our film. We wont be making 32 because by then I will be 61! (Laughs) I don't know about that right now. We are just thinking about the next one at the moment. 

Is it ready?

Yes, we were discussing about the second story. I and Dibakar were just talking about it. The idea is superb so let's hope that this film does well and we can make the second film. 

Would you rate Byomkesh as your best performance till date?

I don't know whether it's my best but it's the most honest performance. There are so many parameters for calling a performance the 'best one'. We have different ways of interpretation so what might be the best to me might not be the best for you. But in my opinions, its the most honest portrayal of any character I have essayed on screen.

Looking back, in all your films, the image of Sushant Singh Rajput has overpowered the character you play on screen. Do you think with Byomkesh, the character will rise above your stardom or image?

I think it will be more symbiotic this time. It's a slightly different interpretation of the Byomkesh people already know. So it will help us make another film on Byomkesh Bakshy. There's not even an element of Sushant Singh Rajput in Detective Byomkesh Bakshy so this film will help people know that I can pull off a role like this- playing a young boy from Calcutta in the 1940s. If I can convincingly portray that, people will know that this guy can actually do it! 

Period films have not worked well in Bollywood. The setting of DBB is very vintage but the treatment and execution is very contemporary. Do you think that will help the film appeal more to the youth?

That was the point of bringing in all those elements. The editing, the cinematography, the lighting and the songs- everything is there because we do want to cater to this audience- the youth. We have tried using the technical skills to make it more appealing to the youth.  Normally, period films are boring films because of the perception we have of those films in the 40s and 50s. It's not because of the world in the 40s and 50s. Calcutta was thriving in the 40s, Calcutta was the most important city for the British in India and Calcutta was the second most important city in the world for British after London. It is not because of the period we feel such films are dated but it's because of the movies we feel so. From the dialogues to the black and white background, we have changed all of it. I think we will connect to today's generation. 

You did Shuddh Desi Romance only to follow it up with a small appearance in PK. Did that help?

For the very first time, I was shooting in a foreign location (Smiles) The sheer experience of working with Mr. Hirani was the reason I did PK. I work for experience and everything I did in the last 8 years- be it theatre, TV or films, all I can remember is not the day when I got my first role as an actor or my first film but all those experiences I had while working for it. Experience of working with Raju Hirani is why I worked in that film and I am really proud of my decision.

You guys came up with this innovative dance video called Bachke Bakshy. How did that come up?

Yes, that is not a very choreographed number. Though it was technically choreographed, it was not the usual choreography we see in films. Through the song, we see Sushant transforming into Byomkesh. It's a gradual transofrmation and that was the point when we wanted to show that there is a Byomkesh Bakshy in each of us. We want to see the truth and say the truth but there is some conflict because of which we don't say it. We wanted Bakshy to dance, which again is not very Byomkesh at all. (Smiles) Dibakar came up with this idea that Sushant will come in a crime scene and play the music. It will the music which will possess Sushant and while dancing, he will gradually become Byomkesh. He wanted me to dance and that's why we got Lauren on board. I rehearsed for about 50-55 hours and we were liking it so much that while we had two nights to shoot the song, we finished it in one night! I love dancing and I believe I am an actor because I am a dancer. I also think like a dancer when I act. There's a sense of rhythm and I dont know how to put that in words but I do think and visualise things like a dancer when I act. 

Five years back, films high on content were considered parralel cinema. Today, they have become the new trend. Do you think such a paradigm shift will help films like DBB?

We are close but it's still not there. But yes, today films like these are getting acceptance. Of course this is the best time for the movie to release. That's why for the first time, Dibakar and YRF are making a film together. Have we seen this happening before? No! This is why actors like me are getting chance to act in such films. I dont think we are done with the usual films we make but the geometric progression in the number of screens, the multiplexes, and the want to see such films is why people can attempt to make a film like this. 

But does the box office numbers matter?

My career? Or the film? Well, of course, if the film does not do well, I will not get options of choosing from these kind of films. I have to do something else which maybe I wont be 100 percent with. If this film does well, more and more filmmakers and more and more actors can make films that they really want to make and not just the films that will only do well at the box office. There is a direct corelation between every film that is making 75-100 crores at the box office and the content of the film. We still watch a film because there are songs in the film that are very good. There's relation between the songs and content of the film. But we still are making the decision of going and watching the film because of the songs.

Films without songs are doing well too nowadays..

That's what I am saying. These are the mindsets we had which are slowly changing. Now, everybody can see through the marketing hype tha'ts mostly created before the release of the film. Hence, teaser, trailers are important and what you say or promise about the film should be there in the film. I think it's a wonderful time for movies like this.

If Byomkesh does not do well, will you still try this genre?

Why not? I don't do films thinking it to be of a certain genre only. I chose it because I don't know why but something told me that I have to be a part of the film. It can be a 10 minutes 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 money making venture so we have to see that as well.