Nick Name: FELUDA
Real Name: PRADOSH CHANDRA MITTER
Age: Thirty - something
Profession: Private Investigator
Created by: Indian filmmaker Satyajit Ray
History of Feluda:
Feluda made his debut in 1965 in the popular Bengali children’s magazine Sandesh.
The magazine was founded and edited by Satyajit Ray himself, and loved by both children and adults.
Know more about the magazine at Wikipedia.org
From then on, Feluda appeared regularly in novels and short stories, until the author's death in the 1990s.
Character Development:
Ray portrayed the character of Feluda as a private detective in his thirties, living at Rajani Sen Road - a middle class suburban area in Southern Kolkata.
The character of Feluda was based on the legendary Sherlock Holmes, creation of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.
In the Feluda stories, he plays the character of Sherlock Holmes. His younger teenage cousin, Topshe plays the role of John Watson.
The duo were usually accompanied by pulp writer Lalmohan Ganguli, whom they met in a train journey during the case Sonar Kella (The Golden Fort).
The inclusion of Lalmohan Ganguli(screen name: Jatayu), offered some comic relief to the otherwise plain and serious detective plots.
Although the character of Feluda was influenced by Sherlock Holmes, the stories were written for children, and therefore went easy on sex. In fact, the stories were almost void of female characters other than the aunts and grandmothers.
The stories contained minimal violence due to the same reason. The villains in Feluda's cases were simply afraid to see his colt revolver in his hand!
The Feluda stories are one of the most famous Indian literary creations. For somebody who loves detective fiction, Feluda is simply a must read.
The Feluda stories were originally written in easy-to-understand Bengali, but many of the books have been translated into English and published by Penguin Books.
Proof of his popularity comes in the form of features films. Two of which were directed by Satyajit Ray himself and a couple directed by his son, Sandip Ray(also a noted director).
Other than feature films, Feluda has also been featured in TV adaptations, radio shows and a comic strip.
He made his first film debut in Satyajit Ray directed feature film Sonar Kella (1974).
His fans and supporters argue that it is the most popular Bengali children’s movie ever.
Feluda Short Stories
Feludar Goendagiri
Published in 1970 in Sandesh(bengali magazine)
English title: Feluda’s Investigation
Bombaiyer Bombete
Publish in Autumn 1976, Desh
English title: The Buccaneers of Bombay
Gosainpur Sargaram
Published in Autumn Special 1976, Sandesh
English title: The Mystery of the Walking Dead
Ebar Kando Kedarnathey
Published in 1981
English title: Crime in Kedarnath
Napoleon er Chithhi
Published in 1984
English title: Napoleon's Letter
Apsara Theatre er Mamla
Published in 1987
English title: The Case of the Apsara Theatre
Bhuswarga Bhayankar
Published in 1987
English title: Peril in Paradise
Golapi Mukta Rahashya
Published in 1989
English title: The Mystery of the Pink Pearl
London ey Feluda
Published in 1989
English title: Feluda in London
Kailash Choudharyr Pathar
English title: Kailash Chowdhury's Jewel
Ghurghutiyar Ghatana
English title: The Locked Chest
Samaddarer Chabi
English title: The Key
Sheyal Debota Rahasya
English title: The Anubis Mystery
Ambar Sen Antardhyan Rahasya
English title: The Disappearance of Ambar Sen
Jahangirer Swarnamudra
English title: The Gold Coins of Jehangir
Golokdham Rahasya
English title: Mystery at Golok Lodge
Bosepukure Khunkharapi
English title: The Acharya Murder Case
Shakuntalar Kanthahar
English title: Shakuntala's Necklace
Indrajal Rahasya
English title: The Magical Mystery
Dr Munshir Diary
English title: Dr Munshi's Diary
Feluda Novels
Badshahi Angti
Published in 1966
English title: The Emperor's Ring
Gangtokey Gandagol
Published in 1970
English title: Trouble in Gangtok
Sonar Kella
Published in 1970
English title: The Golden Fortress
Bakso Rahashya
Published in 1972
English title: A Mysterious Case
Kailashey Kelenkari
Published in 1973
English title: A Killer in Kailash
Royal Bengal Rahashya
Published in 1974
English title: The Royal Bengal Mystery
Joi Baba Felunath
Published in 1975
English title: The Mystery of the Elephant God
Gorosthaney Sabdhan
Published in 1977
English title: Trouble in the Graveyard
Chhinnamastar Abhishap
Published in 1978
English title: The Curse of the Goddess
Hatyapuri
Published in 1979
English title: The House of Death
Jato Kando Kathmandutey
Published in 1980
English title: The Criminals of Kathmandu
Tintorettor Jishu
Published in 1982
English title: Tintoretto's Jesus
Darjeeling Jamjamat
Published in 1986
English title: Danger in Darjeeling
Nayan Rahashya
Published in 1990
English title: The Mystery of Nayan
Robertson er Ruby
Published in 1992
English title: Robertson's Ruby
Feluda Stories Collections
Feluda and Co.
Published in 1976
Feluda One Feluda Two
Published in 1985
Double Feluda
Published in 1989
Feluda Plus Feluda
Published in 1989
Feluda's Last Case and Other Stories
Published in 1995
The Complete Adventures of Feluda, Volume 1
Published in 2000
The Complete Adventures of Feluda, Volume 2
Published in 2005
Feluda Movies
The Characters:
Feluda
Originally played by, Soumitra Chatterjee, in two Bengali films directed, edited, scripted and scored by Satyajit Ray.
Sabyasachi Chakraborty took over from Baksha Rahasya(1996) onwards.
Jatayu
Originally played by Santosh Dutta
Bibhu Bhattacharya took over, after the death of Santosh Dutta.
Rabi Ghosh took over the role in Baksha Rahasya(1996).
Topshe
Originally played by Siddhartha Chatterjee.
Paramabrata Chattopadhyay took over in the film Bombaiyer Bombete.
Saheb Bhattacharjee played the role in the 2010 flick Gorosthane Shabdhan.
List of Feluda Movies
SONAR KELLA
Released in: 1974
Screenplay by Satyajit Ray
Based on his novel
Directed by Satyajit Ray
Starring:
Soumitra Chatterjee as FELUDA
Siddhartha Chatterjee as Topshe
Santosh Dutta as Jatayu.
Also starring Santanu Bagchi, Ajoy Banerjee, Haradhan Bannerjee, Kushal Chakravart, Bimal Chatterjee, Rekha Chatterjee, Siddharta Chatterjee, Harindranath Chattopadhyay, Ashok Mukherjee, Kamu Mukherjee, Shailen Mukherjee, Shiuli Mukherjee, Sunil Sarkar.
JOI BABA FELUNATH
Released in: 1978
Screenplay by Satyajit Ray
Based on his novel
Directed by Satyajit Ray
Starring:
Soumitra Chatterjee as FELUDA
Siddhartha Chatterjee as Topshe
Santosh Dutta as Jatayu.
Also starring Haradhan Bannerjee, Biplab Chatterjee, Utpal Dutt, Kamu Mukherjee, Monu Mukherjee, Santosh Sinha.
BOMBAIYER BOMBETE
Released in: 2003
Directed by Sandip Ray
Starring:
Sabyasachi Chakraborty as FELUDA
Parambrata Chattopadhyay as Topshe
Bibhu Bhattacharya as Jatayu.
KAILASHEY KELENKARI
Released in: 2007
Directed by Sandip Ray
Starring:
Sabyasachi Chakraborty as FELUDA
Parambrata Chattopadhyay as Topshe
Bibhu Bhattacharya as Jatayu.
TINTORETTOR JISHU
Released in: 2008
Direction and Screenplay: Sandip Ray
Writer: Satyajit Ray (novel)
Starring:
Sabyasachi Chakraborty as FELUDA
Parambrata Chattopadhyay as Topshe
Bibhu Bhattacharya as Jatayu.
GOROSTHANE SHABDHAN
Released in: 2010
Direction and Screenplay: Sandip Ray
Writer: Satyajit Ray (novel)
Starring:
Sabyasachi Chakraborty as FELUDA
Saheb Bhattacharjee as Topshe
Bibhu Bhattacharya as Jatayu.
Feluda on Television
Several hour long episodes of Feluda had been made for Indian Televison, (Hindi series ‘Satyajit Ray Presents’, directed by his son Sandip Ray).
Shashi Kapoor played the role of Feluda with Mohan Agashe playing Jatayu.
Feluda teleseries - 'SATYAJIT RAY PRESENTS'
Directed by Sandip Satyajit
Starring:
Shashi Kapoor as FELUDA
Mohan Agashe as Jatayu.
Feluda on Radio
Feluda appeared on Radio in the following BBC versions:
THE GOLDEN FORTRESS
Released in 2007 on BBC World Service
Original air date: February 10, 2007
Starring:
Rahul Bose as FELUDA
Anupam Kher as Lalmohan Ganguly
THE MYSTERY OF THE ELEPHANT GOD
Released in 2007 on BBC World Service
Original air date: August 11, 2007
Starring:
Rahul Bose as FELUDA
Anupam Kher as Lalmohan
In addition to the BBC versions, Ananda Publishers released an audio version of Baksho Rahasya ("The Suitcase Mystery") in early 1980's.
Feluda in Comic Strips
Feluda appeared in Comic Strips published in The Telegraph (Kolkata).
The Feluda comic strips were also collected and printed as graphic novels.
FELUDA
Written by Subhadra Sengupta
Art by Tapas Guha
A Bagful of Mystery
Calamity in Kailash
Chaos in Kathmandu