Writer and auteur, Satyajit Ray, created many of his characters sitting in this chair in central Kolkata’s Bishop Lefroy Road. One of his characters, Feluda, the quintessential Bengali gentleman sleuth, is completing his golden jubilee later this year. (Courtesy: Ray Society)
The first short story of Feluda, with sketches by Ray was published in 1965-66 in Sandesh, a children’s magazine. The maiden Feluda novella titled ’Badshahi Angti’ (The Emperor’s Ring) with more sketches by Ray appeared the same year. The magazine was launched in 1913 by Ray’s grandfather-- writer, painter, printer Upendrakishore Raychowdhury. The editor’s mantle was donned later by Ray’s father, poet, illustrator and playwright, Sukumar Ray. (Courtesy: Ray Society)
Ray maintained a tradition of filling up the space between texts with sketches when the Feluda novels started getting published serially as books. Here is the first cover of his Feluda book, ‘Sonar Kella’ (The Golden Fortress), alongside some letters written by Ray. The director used to diligently answer fan-mails while producing at least one film a year, many short stories and novels, mainly for the children. (Courtesy: Souradeep Ray)
Sonar Kella was turned into a film in 1974. The award-winning children’s film transformed till then a little known town in Jaisalmeer in western Rajasthan, into a major tourist destination. The film was a roaring hit and the attraction endures. This shooting-still was taken during the 2nd Feluda film ‘Joy Baba Felunath’ (The Elephant God) at Benaras. Despite the success of Sonar Kella, Ray did not get a producer for the next Feluda flick, said his son, Sandip Ray. (Courtesy: Ray Society, Sandip Ray)
Film maker Sagnik Chatterjee has now taken the cast and crew of Sonar Kella to Jaisalmeer again – after 41 years – to shoot his documentary on Feluda, titled:Feluda: A Sleuth’s Story. Chatterjee (white shirt) in foreground is shooting a conversation between Sandip Ray (donning white cap) and Kushal Chakrabarty in Jaisalmeer. Kushal was the child-star and protagonist of Sonar Kella. Sandip Ray was the still photographer of ‘Sonar Kella’. (Courtesy: Sourodeep Ray)
The documentary is shot in the same, (now dilapidated), fort where Sonar Kella was filmed and to Chatterjee is a “tribute to Ray as also his immortal creation”. Chatterjee, has worked as directorial assistant to Ray’s son Sandip, in some of the later Feluda flicks. (Courtesy: Sidhartha Sen)
Ray’s son, Sandip, who has directed 18 Feluda films (including television & films), is one of the ‘key characters’ in this documentary. Sandip Ray who shot the shooting-stills of Sonar Kella in 1974, is seen here with his wife, Lolita, in Jaisalmeer, facing the lens. Lolita Ray is costume- designer for the documentary on Feluda. (Courtesy: Sidhartha Sen)
Feluda’s `reach’ transgresses the states borders. The sleuth’s story has been translated into five international languages. (Courtesy: Ray Society)
And of course into four Indian languages as well. “One reason why every one is talking in their native tongue in my film is perhaps this. Ray was translated in so many languages…he made films in so many languages in so many regions...perhaps we tried to make a sense of his pluralism,” said Sagnik Chatterjee. (Courtesy: Ray Society)
Ray himself was immensely popular with kids, writing and making films exclusively for them. Curiously, Ray never made a third Feluda despite the success of the first two. It has many explanations, but many felt it was tantamount to `injustice’ to his most avid fans -- children. (Courtesy: Ray Society)