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Byomkesh Bakshi

kevinburtonsmith

Created by Saradindu Bandopaddhyay
Pseudonyms include as Mouri Nodir Teere
(1899-1970)

Don’t call BYOMKESH BAKSHI  a”private eye.”

Don’t even call him a “detective,” or an  “investigator.”

He doesn’t like any of those words. He prefers Satyanweshi, which is inscribed on a brass plaque in front of his Kolkata (Calcutta)  home. It’s the Bengali word for “The Truth Seeker. ” Or maybe “The Inquisitor”?

But whatever you call him, he’s gained a reputation far beyond his home base of Calcutta for his proficiency with observation, logical reasoning, and forensic science, and his ability to solve even the most complicated cases, up to and including murder.

Obviously inspired by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle‘s Sherlock Holmes, there’s a Watson-type sidekick (Ajit) who narrates most of the stories, a Moriarity-like arch-enemy (Guha), and even an annoying local cop (Inspector  Chowdhury) similar to Lestrade. The stories rise above mere pastiche, though, or slavish imitation, thanks to writer Saradindu Bandopaddhyay‘s strong storytelling chops, some solid characterization and superb and original scene setting. Bakshi’s cases, all narrated by Amit, are clever and twisty, full of oddball methods of murder: quicksand, porcupine quills and gramophone needles come into play, and the friendship between Bakshi and Ajit, full of good-natured jibes, was engaging. It didn’t hurt, either, that the stories were being published in Bengali, guaranteeing a strong local following–especially at a time of British rule. Generally considered India’s first real fictional detective, Bakshy’s appeared in thirty-two stories, beginning in 1932..

Fortunately, while most detectives rarely age in anything like real time, Bakshi was allowed to grow old. He marries his long-time girlfriend Satyabati, they have a son called Khoka, and even leave Calcutta and relocate to Keyatala. Nor does he simply age–the world ages with him, with history marching alongside from the early thirties right on through World War II and on to the end of British rule in the late forties. The final story to feature Bakshy appeared in 1970, almost forty years after his debut, so it’s fair to say many older Indians literally grew up with the character, and their descendants have enjoyed not just Bandopaddhyay’s original stories, but by the seemingly endless stream of film, radio, television, comic book and videogame adaptations that is, even now, still going strong.

So strong that there are seemingly two separate film series currently battling it out in Indian theaters.

More than ninety years after Byomkesh Bakshi first appeared.

Now that’s staying’ power…

* * * * *

When we first meet him Satyanweshi (1932), Bakshi is an educated young bookworm in his early twenties, fluent in Bengali, Hindi, and English. He wears heavy-framed glasses and usually dresses in a white kurta with a white dhoti, and occasionally a shawl. He smokes heavily, but doesn’t drink–his beverage of choice is tea with milk. He’s got a gift for observation, deduction and problem solving, and while he’s obviously fit, his solutions are invariably based on pure and simple logic. He doesn’t even carry a gun.

His parents are dead–they died from tuberculosis when Bakshi was just seventeen, but fortunately he was able to obtain a scholarship to attend university.

Recently he’s been enlisted by the police commissioner as a “non-government detective” to investigate a series of murders. Working undercover as “Atul Chandra Mitra,” he encounters Ajit Bandyopadhyay, an ambitious young writer also struggling financially, despite a small inheritance. They soon become friends and agree to split the rent on Bakshi’s three-story house on Harrison Road. Clearly inspired by Holmes and Watson, it is Ajit who narrates most of the stories.

Needless to say, Bakshi solves the case, and puts the brass plaque up on his door. “Satyanweshi,” it says.

And so it begins…

 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Sharadindu Bandyopadhyay (1899-1970) was an Indian Bengali-language writer, playwright and screen writer, actively involved with . He also wrote historical fiction, songs and poetry. But he’s best known as the creator of Byomkesh Bakshi, who made his debut in Satyanweshi (1932). An instant success, he cranked them out regularly until 1938, when he turned to writing screenplays for both the Bengali film industry and the nascent Bollywood scene in Bombay. Finding the Baksi stories still in demand in the early fifties, he resumed the series, starting with Chitrochor in 1951, and would continue publishing them  until his death in 1970.

STORIES

  • “Satyanweshi” (1932; aka “The Truth-Seeker”)
  • “Ponther Kanta” (1932; aka “The Thorns in the Path,” “The Gramophone Pin Mystery,” “A Thorn in the Flesh”)
  • “Seemanto-Heera” (1932; aka “The Hidden Heirloom”)
  • “Makorshar Rosh” (1933; aka “The Venom of the Tarantula,” “The Tantalizing Tarantula”)
  • “Arthamanartham” (1933; aka “Where There’s a Will,” “Money Matters”)
  • “Chorabali” (1933; aka “Quicksand”)
  • “Agnibaan” (1935; aka “Calamity Strikes,” “The Dart of Death”)
  • “Uposonghaar” (1935; aka “An Encore for Byomkesh”)
  • “Raktomukhi Neela” (1936; aka “The Bloody Sapphire;” “The Bloodline”)
  • “Byomkesh O Boroda” (1936; aka “Byomkesh and Barada”)
  • “Chitrochor” (1951; aka “Picture Imperfect”)
  • “Durgo Rahasya” (1952; aka “The Mystery of the Fortress”)
  • “Chiriyakhana” (1953; aka “The Menagerie”)
  • “Adim Ripu” (1955; aka “The Ancient Enemy”)
  • “Banhi-patanga” (1956; aka “Flame and Moth”)
  • “Rokter Daag” (1956; aka “Bloodstains”)
  • “Monimondon” (1958; aka “The Jewel Case;” “The Vanishing Trick”)
  • “Amriter Mrityu” (1959; aka “The Death of Amrito”)
  • “Shailo Rahasya” (1959; aka “Phantom Client”)
  • “Achin Pakhi” (1960; aka “The Avenger”)
  • “Kohen Kobi Kalidas” (1961; aka “Thus Spoke Kavi Kalidasa”)
  • “Adrishyo Trikon” (1961; aka ” The Invisible Triangle”)
  • “Khunji Khunji Nari” (1961; aka “The Case of the Missing Will”)
  • “Adwitiyo” (1961; aka “Unique;” “The One and Only”)
  • “Mognomoinak” (1963; aka “The Secret Berg”)
  • “Dushtochokro” (1963; aka “The Crooked Circle”)
  • “Henyalir Chhondo” (1964; aka “The Rhythm of Riddles”)
  • “Room Nombor Dui” (1964; aka “Room Number 2”)
  • “Chholonar Chhondo” (1965; aka “Man in a Red Coat”)
  • “Shajarur Kanta” (1967; aka “The Quills of the Porcupine”)
  • “Benishonghar” (1968; aka “The Killing of Beni”)
  • “Lohar Biskut” (1969; aka “Iron Biscuits”)
  • “Bishupal Bodh” (1970; aka “The Slaying of Bishupal”)

ENGLISH COLLECTIONS

  • Byomkesh Bakshi Vol. II (2023; translated by Monimala Dhar) | Buy this book  | Kindle it!
    Contains seven stories. I have no idea if there was ever a volume one.

RADIO

  • SUNDAY SUSPENSE
    A series that ran on 98.3 Radio Mirchi, a nationwide network of private FM radio stations in India.

    • “SATYANWESHI”
      Based on Satyanweshi by Saradindu Bandopaddhyay
      Starring RJ Mir as BYOMKESH BAKSHI
      and RJ Deep as Ajit.

FILMS

  • CHIRIYAKHANA
    (aka “The Zoo”)
    (1967, Star Productions)
    125 minutes
    Language: Bengali
    Based on “Chiriyakhana” by Saradindu Bandopaddhyay
    Screenplay by Satyajit Ray
    Directed by Satyajit Ray
    Starring Uttam Kumar as BYOMKESH BAKSHI
    and Shailen Mukherjee as Ajit
    Also starring Sushil Majumder, Kalipada Chakraborty, Jahar Ganguli, Subhendu Chatterjee, Prasad Mukherjee, Bankim Ghosh, Nripati Chattopadhyay, Subrata Chatterjee, Kanika Majumdar, Shyamal Ghoshal, Asit Baran, Chinmoy Ray, Geetali Ray
  • SHAJARUR KANTA
    (1974, Star Productions)
    Language: Bengali
    Based on “Shajarur Kanta” by Saradindu Bandopaddhyay
    Directed by Manju Dey
    Starring Shyamal Ghosal as BYOMKESH BAKSHI
    and Shailen Mukherjee as Ajit
    Also starring Satindra Bhattacharya, Pahari Sanyal, Tarun Kumar, Sambhu Bhattachayra, Gita Dey, Manju Dey
  • MAGNO MAINAK
    (2009, New Wave Communications)
    Language: Bengali
    Based on “Magno Mainak” by Saradindu Bandopaddhyay
    Directed by Swapan Ghoshal
    Starring Shuvrajit Dutta as BYOMKESH BAKSHI
    and Rajarshi Mukherjee as Ajit Kumar Banerjee
    Also starring Piyali Munshi, Rupanjana Mitra, Gargi Roychowdhury, Biplab Chatterjee
    Ghoshal also directed the two Bengali TV series on the sleuth.
  • BYOMKESH BAKSHI
    (2010, RP Techvision)
    Language: Bengali
    136 minutes
    Based on “Adim Ripu” by Saradindu Bandopaddhyay
    Directed by Anjan Dutt
    Starring  Abir Chatterjee as BYOMKESH BAKSHI
    Saswata Chatterjee as Ajit
    Also starring Swastika Mukherjee, Chandan Sen, Ushasie Chakraborty , Kalyan Chatterjee, Swagata Banerjee, Miss Nanibala Roy, Rudranil Ghosh, Chandan Sen, Pijush Ganguly, Biswajit Chakraborty
    The first in a popular series of Bakshi films directed by Dutt.
  • ABAR BYOMKESH
    (2012, DAG Creative Media)
    Language: Bengali
    102 minutes
    Based on “Chitrachor”  by Saradindu Bandopaddhyay
    Directed by Anjan Dutt
    Starring Abir Chatterjee as BYOMKESH BAKSHI
    With Saswata Chatterjee as Ajit
    and Ushasie Chakraborty as Satyabati
    Also starring Arindol Bagchi, Kaushik Sen, Sudipa Bose, Kunal Padhi, Chandan Sen, Pijush Ganguly, Biswajit Chakraborty, Swastika Mukherjee
    Number two in the series.
  • SATYANWESHI
    (2013, Shree Venkatesh Films    )
    Language: Bengali
    117 minutes
    Based on “Chorabali” by Saradindu Bandopaddhyay
    Directed by Rituparno Ghosh
    Starring Sujoy Ghosh as BYOMKESH BAKSHI
    With Anindya Chattopadhyay as Ajit
    Also starring Indraneil Sengupta, Sibaji Bandyopadhyay, Arpita Chatterjee, Anirban Ghosh, Anindya Bandyopadhyay, Sanjoy Nag, Anandi Ghosh
    Not part of Dutt’s series, but obviously there’s plenty of demand.
  • DOORBEEN
    (2014, Saikat Mitra)
    Language: Bengali
    112 minutes
    Based on characters created by Saradindu Bandopaddhyay and Satyajit Ray
    Written and directed by Subrato Guha Roy
    Starring Soumitra Chatterjee as BYOMKESH BAKSHI
    and Sabyasachi Chakraborty as FELUDA
    Also starring Shantilal Mukherjee, Anjana Basu, Aparajita Auddy, Rangeet, Diptodeep, Ahana, Subrato Guha Roy, Rajat Ganguly, Pratik Chowdhury, Aritra Dutta, Pradip Chakraborty, Debranjan Nag, Arunabha Dutta, Nitya Ganguly, Tapas Biswas, Sanjib Sarkar, Ranjan Bandyopadhyay
    It had to happen–India’s two most popular detectives team up. Not really part of either canon, but an affectionate spoof. The plot revolves around a young boy who finally meets his childhood heroes, popular Indian detectives Feluda and Sharadindu Bandyopadhyay’s Byomkesh Bakshi, who are now elderly and living next door to each other. 
  • BYOMKESH PHIRE ELO
    (2014, Anjan Dutt Productions/RP Techvision)
    Language: Bengali
    107 minutes
    Based on “Beni Sanghar” by Saradindu Bandopaddhyay
    Screenplay by Anjan Dutt
    Directed by Anjan Dutt
    Starring Abir Chatterjee as BYOMKESH BAKSHI
    With Saswata Chatterjee as Ajit
    and Ushasie Chakraborty as Satyabati
    Also starring Biswajit Chakraborty, Chandan Sen, Locket Chatterjee, Kaushik Sen, Anjana Basu, Ankita Chakraborty, Sampurna Lahiri, Rahul Banerjee, Ena Saha, Subhra Sourav Das
    Number three in by Anjan Dutt’e’s series.
  • SHAJARUR KANTA
    (2015, Angel Digital & Macneill Media)
    Language: Bengali
    178 minutes
    Based on “Shajarur Kanta” by Saradindu Bandopaddhyay
    Directed by Saibal Mitra
    Starring Dhritiman Chatterjee as BYOMKESH BAKSHI
    With Pradip Mukherjee as Ajit
    and Sonali Gupta Basu as Satyabati
    Also starring Indraneil Sengupta, Konkona Sen Sharma, Kaushik Sen, Debdut Ghosh, Biswajit Chakraborty, Kanchana Maitra, Dwijen Bandopadhyay, Nilendra Dewan, Subrata Guha Roy
  • DETECTIVE BYOMKESH BAKSHY!
    (2015, YRF/Dibakar Banerjee Productions)
    Language: Hindi
    147 minutes
    Based on characters created by Saradindu Bandopadhyay
    Screenplay by  Urmi Juvekar and Dibakar Banerjee
    Directed by Dibakar Banerjee
    Starring Sushant Singh Rajput as BYOMKESH BAKSHY
    With Anand Tiwari  as Ajit Banerjee
    And Divya Menon as Satyawati
    Also starring Neeraj Kabi, Swastika Mukherjee, Meiyang Chang, Mark Bennington, Taka Higuchi, Kaushik Ghosh, Anindya Pulak Banerjee, Arindol Bagchi, Peter Wong, Pradipto Kumar Chakraborty, Manoshi Nath, Moumita Chakraborty
    A great looking period piece, set in 1942. A sequel with Rajput reprising his role as Baksy was planned but after his death, the film was shelved.
  • BYOMKESH BAKSHI
    (2015, Anjan Dutt Productions & RP Techvision)
    Language: Bengali
    110 minutes
    Based on Kohen Kobi Kalidas by Saradindu Bandopaddhyay
    Directed by Anjan Dutt
    Starring Jisshu Sengupta as BYOMKESH BAKSHI
    With Saswata Chatterjee as Ajit Bandyopadhyay
    and Ushasie Chakraborty as Satyabati
    Also starring Kaushik Sen, Shantilal Mukherjee, Sagnik Chatterjee, Joyjit Banerjee, Prantik Banerjee, Debdut Ghosh, Priyanka Sarkar, Ankita Chakraborty, Chandan Sen, Arindol Bagchi, Siddhartha Banerjee
    Number four in Dutt’s series, with a new Bakshi stepping in.
  • HAR HAR BYOMKESH
    (2015, SVF Entertainment & Surinder Films)
    Language: Bengali
    113 minutes
    Based on Banhi Patanga by Saradindu Bandopadhyay
    Screenplay by Padmanabha Dasgupta
    Directed by Arindam Sil
    Starring Abir Chatterjee as BYOMKESH BAKSHI
    With Ritwick Chakraborty as Ajit
    and Sohini Sarkar as Satyabati
    Also starrign Nusrat Jahan, Shadab Kamal, Adil Hussain, Harsh Chhaya, Rachel White, Deepankar De, Subrat Dutta, Indradeep Dasgupta, Joydeep Kundu, June Malia, Dilip Dave
    The third feature film to be released in the same year! All with direct actors, directors and production companies.
  • BYOMKESH O CHIRIYAKHANA
    (2016, RP Techvision)
    Language: Bengali
    107 minutes
    Based on “Chiriyakhana” by Saradindu Bandopadhyay
    Directed by     Anjan Dutt
    Starring Jisshu Sengupta as BYOMKESH BAKSHI
    With Saswata Chatterjee as Ajit Bandyopadhyay
    and Ushasie Chakraborty as Satyabati
    Also starring Shantilal Mukherjee, Dulal Lahiri, Priyanka Sarkar, Saayoni Ghosh, Riju Biswas, Neel Mukherjee, Kanchan Mullick, Sagnik Chatterjee, Ankita Chakraborty, Kanchana Moitra, Mrinal Mukherjee, Subhra Sourav Das, Anjan Dutt
    Number five in the Anjan Dutt series. Dutt even appears in a cameo.
  • BYOMKESH PAWRBO
    (2016, Shree Venkatesh Films/Surinder Films)
    Language: Bengali
    156 minutes
    Based on “Amriter Mrityu” by Saradindu Bandopadhyay
    Screenplay by Padmanabha Dasgupta and Arindam Sil
    Directed by     Arindam Sil
    Starring Abir Chatterjee as BYOMKESH BAKSHI
    With Ritwick Chakraborty as Ajit
    and Sohini Sarkar as Satyabati
    Also starring Sayantika Banerjee, Kaushik Sen, Rajatava Dutta, Subhashish Mukherjee, Rudranil Ghosh, June Malia, Ashok Singh, Sumanta Mukherjee, Koushik Kar, Mrinal Mukherjee, Supriyo Dutta, Padmanabha Dasgupta
  • BYOMKESH O AGNIBAAN
    (2017, R.P. Techvision/Eskay Movies)
    Language: Bengali
    105 minutes
    Based on “Agniban” and “Upasanghar” by Sharadindu Bandyopadhyay
    Screenplay by Anjan Dutt
    Directed by     Anjan Dutt
    Starring Jisshu Sengupta as BYOMKESH BAKSHI
    With Saswata Chatterjee as Ajit
    and Ushasie Chakraborty as Satyabati
    Also starring Swastika Mukherjee, Sumatra Mukherjee, Debduth Ghosh, Soumendra Bhattacharya, Aritra Sengupta, Ankita Chakraborty, Anjan Dutt
  • BIDAY BYOMKESH
    (2018, Shree Venkatesh Films)
    Language: Bengali
    121 minutes
    Based on characters created by Sharadindu Bandyopadhyay
    Screenplay by Rohini Ghosh
    Directed by Debaloy Bhattacharya
    Starring Abir Chottopadhyay as BYOMKESH BAKSHI
    With Sohini Sarkar as Satyabati
    and Rahul Banerjee as Ajit
    Also starring Joy Sengupta, Bidipta Chakrabarty, Rupankar Bagchi, Sujoy Prosad Chatterjee, Arindam Sil as Tunna’s Father
    The sixth installment of Byomkesh film series produced by Shree Venkatesh Films.
  • BYOMKESH GOTRO
    (2018, Shree Venkatesh Films)
    Language: Bengali
    136 minutes
    Based on “Rakter Daag”     by Saradindu Bandopadhyay
    Screenplay by Padmanabha Dasgupta, Arindam Sil
    Directed by     Arindam Sil
    Starring Abir Chatterjee as BYOMKESH BAKSHI
    With Sohini Sarkar as Satyabati
    and Rahul Banerjee as Ajit
    Also starring Anjan Dutt, Arjun Chakraborty, Priyanka Sarkar, Harsh Chhaya, Anindita Bose, Sauraseni Maitra, Bibriti Chatterjee, Arindam Sil, Indrasish Roy, Baisakhi Marjit as Suchitra, Satyakam’s mother
    Joydip Kundu
    Surendra Bhandari as mahadev
  • SATYANWESHI BYOMKESH
    (2019, Green Touch Entertainment)
    Language: Bengali
    103 minutes
    Based on “Magna Mainak” by Saradindu Bandhopadhyay
    Screenplay by Anjan Dutt
    Directed by     Sayantan Ghosal
    Starring Parambrata Chatterjee as BYOMKESH BAKSHY
    and Rudranil Ghosh as Ajit
    Also starring Soumendra Bhattacharya, Suprabhat Banerjee, Suprobhat Das, Anjan Dutt,  Ayoshi Talukdar
  • BYOMKESH HATYAMANCHA
    (2022, Shree Venkatesh Films)
    Language: Bengali
    120 minutes
    Based on “Magna Mainak” by Saradindu Bandhopadhyay
    Screenplay by Padmanabha Dasgupta
    Directed by Arindam Sil
    Starring Abir Chatterjee as BYOMKESH BAKSHY
    With Suhotra Mukhopadhyay as Ajit
    and Sohini Sarkar as Satyabati
    Also starring Lekha Chatterjee, Paoli Dam, Arna Mukherjee, Pronoy Mukhopadhyay, Kinjal Nanda, Aniket Pal, Anusha Viswanathan
  • BYOMKESH O DURGO RAHASYA
    (2023, Dev Entertainment/Shadow Films/Zeal Z)
    Language: Bengali
    120 minutes
    Based on     “Bishupal Bawdh” by Saradindu Bandhopadhyay
    Screenplay by by Subhendu Dasmunshi
    Starring Dev as BYOMKESH BAKSHY
    With Rukmini Maitra as Satyabati
    and Ambarish Bhattacharya as Ajit
    Also starring Satyam Bhattacharya, Shantilal Mukherjee, Rajatava Dutta, Debesh Chattopadhyay, Shankar Debnath, Atmadeep Ghosh, Sayantan Maitra , Sampurna Mandal, Rohit Basfore

TELEVISION

  • BYOMKESH BAKSHI
    (1993-97, DD National)
    Language: Hindi
    34 episodes
    Two seasons
    Based on characters created by Saradindu Bandopaddhyay
    Directed by Basu Chatterjee
    Starring Rajit Kapur as BYOMKESH BAKSHI
    K.K. Raina as Ajit Bandyopadhyay
    and Sukanya Kulkarni as Satyavati
    The series had only two seasons, one in 1993 and a second season in 1997. Generally considered  one of the best adaptations of the character, directed by acclaimed film maker Basu Chatterjee.
  • BYOMKESH BAKSHI
    (2004, Doordarshan)
    28 episodes
    Based on characters created by Saradindu Bandopaddhyay
    Directed by Swapan Ghoshal
    Starring Sudip Mukherjee as BYOMKESH BAKSHI
    With Debdut Ghosh as Ajit
    and Maitreyi Mitra as Satyaboti
    The second television adaptation of the series.
  • BYOMKESH
    (2014-15, Colors Bangla)
    Language: Bengali
    One season
    155 episodes
    Based on characters created by Saradindu Bandopaddhyay
    Writers: Sourav Sengupta, Joy Dasgupta
    Starring Gaurav Chakrabarty as BYOMKESH BAKSHI
    Saugata Bandyopadhyay as Ajit
    and Ridhima Ghosh as Satyabat
  • BYOMKESH
    (2017-23; Hoichoi)
    Streaming
    Language: Bengali
    Premiere: October 14, 2017
    8 seasons
    Based on characters created by Saradindu Bandopaddhyay
    Writers: Pratik Dutta
    Directe    d by Sayantan Ghosal, Soumik Chattopadhyay, Soumik Halder, Sudipto Roy
    Starring Anirban Bhattacharya      as BYOMKESH BAKSHI
    With Subrat Dutta as Ajit (replaced in season eight by Bhaswar Chattopadhyay)
    Also starring Ridhima Ghosh, Suprobhat Das
    This series is streamed on Hoichoi, a Bengali on-demand streaming serve (like Netflix), and each short season (2-4 episodes each) adapts assorted Bakshi storie.

COMIC STRIPS

  • BYOMKESH BAKSHI
    (2013-17, Ananda Publishers)
    Based on characters created by Saradindu Bandopaddhyay
    Written and drawn by Onkarnath Bhattacharya
    Apparently these adaptations were serialized online, and then printed.
    • Satyanweshi
    • Pother Kata
    • Heyalir Chondo
      An original story.

FURTHER INVESTIGATION

Respectfully submitted by Kevin Burton Smith. I apologize for the many spelling discrepancies–my Bengali is bad, my Hindi worse.

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