I was a bit apprehensive because I have interpreted the film in my own way. Bombaiyer Bombete was a gamble that paid off, but Kailashe ... is a different film altogether. I took some liberties with the text. But, thankfully the response has been quite positive so far.
Your Feluda films have a different idiom. Both Bombaiyer Bombete and Kailashe Kelenkari are racier than the Ray films.
I want to make Feluda films more contemporary. Today young viewers are spoiled with slick thrillers and have very little attention span. Which is why I decided to make a pacy thriller.
You have again used the same technique that you used in Bombaiyer Bombete. The audience knows the culprits, it’s the process of exposition that matters.
This is not a new technique. Many filmmakers have used it before. Moreover, the legions of Feluda fans who will throng the theatres already know what the story is about. They will come to see how it unfolds.
Why did you choose Kailashe Kelenkari?
Its one of my favourite Feluda stories. The fact that it’s set in the backdrop of the Ellora caves, gave me the opportunity of exploring the location.
Wasn’t Tintoretter Jishu supposed to be the next Feluda film?
Yes, but it was stalled due to some unforeseen circumstances. We had completed a schedule too. Hopefully, we will start shooting for the film soon.
You have managed to make the film very contemporary. A Santro makes way for Lalmohan Babu’s green Ambassador, and Feluda’s hippie disguise is replaced with a more staid National Geographic photographer one.
I have worked on the script for months. I didn’t want things to look contrived. The disguise proved to be a bit of a problem because in 1974, when the story was written, the hippie culture was in full swing. Today’s children don’t even know who the hippies were. So I had to find a suitable replacement. A National Geographic lensman’s diguise proved to be the best alternative.
Did you face any problems while shooting the film?
Surprisingly, no. I was expecting a lot of hassles, but the shooting schedule in the Ellora caves went off very smoothly. The Government of Maharashtra has been very cooperative indeed.
Kailashe Kelenakri will be the first Feluda film to endorse a brand.
I didn’t want the endorsement to be very obvious. I tried to blend it with the storyline. I just made a minor change. While the story mentions a film shoot in the Ellora caves, I show an ad shoot.