Anjan Dutt returns to Byomkesh Bakshi with screenplay for Sayantan Ghosal

Anjan Dutt will be writing the screenplay for Sayantan Ghosal’s upcoming directorial venture based on Saradindu Bandopadhyay’s Magnamainak from the iconic Byomkesh Bakshi series. The film will feature Parambrata Chatterjee as the iconic Bengali sleuth for the first time.

Anjan Dutt is venturing into the Byomkesh franchise after a gap of two years. The actor-director stopped making Byomkesh films after the copyright holder of the franchise, Prabir Chakraborty, passed away.

Dutt’s journey with Byomkesh Bakshi began with the film Byomkesh Bakshi in 2010, starring Abir Chatterjee. However, Chatterjee soon became the choice for Arindam Sil’s Byomkesh films as well and so, when Dutt made Byomkesh O Chiriakhana in 2016, he cast Jisshu Sengupta as the Satyanweshi, or seeker of truth. His last directorial venture involving the detective was Byomkesh O Agniban (2017), also featuring Sengupta.

Having been the one to initiate the franchise, Dutt gave his NOC (no-objection certificate) to Ghosal, who also sought his help to build the project.

“I felt it was my duty to help him; by then, I was already acting in Arindam’s Byomkesh [Byomkesh Gowtro (2018)]. I told him I will be giving him my screenplays that I had already written. But he felt that I should be the creative supervisor, since I have done a lot of research on the brand. Also, I am old and experienced enough to be a creative supervisor. I thought, so what if I am tired of the brand, I can always help another director who is taking it up afresh,” Dutt told The Times of India newspaper.

In the film, Rudranil Ghosh will, for the first time, play Ajit, Bakshi’s friend and assistant on all his cases. Though the film focuses primarily on Byomkesh’s undertakings, the story will be narrated by Ajit. Dutt believes Chatterjee and Ghosh’s off-screen chemistry will lend more drama to their equations on screen.