Feluda Retires Never, Resides in Hearts Forever

🖊️Roopsa Ganguly

"আমি হয় এর বদলা নেব, না হয় গোয়েন্দাগিরি ছেড়ে দেব!"

These words, uttered by Feluda himself in one of his thrilling adventures, embody the detective’s unwavering resolve.

Even 65 years after his inception, Feluda remains a towering figure in Bengali pop culture, a sentiment that resonated powerfully at the Kolkata Literature Festival during the International Kolkata Book Fair 2025. The session titled Feluda Obinashwar: Aaj-o Jonopriyo (Feluda is Immortal: Still Popular Today) brought together cinematic luminaries and storytellers to celebrate Satyajit Ray’s legendary sleuth. The panel featured acclaimed director Srijit Mukherji, veteran actor Siddhartha Chatterjee who immortalized Topshe on screen, and filmmaker-actor Abhijit Guha, who recently portrayed Jatayu. The session, moderated by Dr. Pusan Gupta, captivated the audience with anecdotes, insights, and discussions on the detective’s timeless appeal.

Feluda, the brilliant private investigator residing at 21 Rajani Sen Road, Ballygunge, first made his literary debut in 1965 under Satyajit Ray’s pen. With his razor-sharp intellect, physical agility, and deep knowledge spanning from history to geometry, Feluda became Bengal’s very own Sherlock Holmes. Accompanied by his cousin-cum-assistant, Topshe, and the ever-comical Jatayu, his adventures took readers on thrilling journeys across India. Feluda’s cinematic adaptations, first brought to life by Soumitra Chatterjee in Sonar Kella (1974) and Joi Baba Felunath (1979), have become cultural milestones. While different actors have played Feluda over the decades, the fascination for the character remains unwavering.

During the discussion, Siddhartha Chatterjee expressed heartfelt nostalgia, saying, "I definitely miss my Feluda, Soumitra Chattopadhyay, but I also like today’s generation of Feluda too." His sentiment resonated with the audience, who still hold Ray’s adaptations in the highest regard. Abhijit Guha reminisced about his days working as an assistant director under Santosh Dutta, the legendary actor who originally played Jatayu, stating, "Santosh Dutta was phenomenal. His portrayal of Jatayu set a benchmark, and every portrayal after him will always be compared to the master."

Director Srijit Mukherji, who has been instrumental in reviving Feluda for a new generation, made an exciting revelation. He confirmed that the much-awaited second season of Feluda Pherot is in the works. Starring Tota Roy Chowdhury as Feluda, Anirban Chakravarti as Jatayu, and Khairaj Mukherjee as the notorious villain Maganlal Meghraj, the upcoming season is set to release on Addatimes OTT. However, Mukherji acknowledged the long delay due to policy issues, leaving fans eagerly anticipating its release. Speaking about Feluda’s most formidable adversary, Mukherji remarked, "Just like Batman is incomplete without the Joker, Feluda is incomplete without Maganlal Meghraj." On adapting Feluda’s stories for screen, he further revealed, "While discussing the rights for stories I could adapt into films, I requested that Sonar Kella and Joi Baba Felunath be left untouched. There can be absolutely no remaking of the cult classics directed by the original genius, Satyajit Ray himself."

The discussion at the Kolkata Literature Festival reinforced one undeniable truth—Feluda is not just a detective; he is a legacy. Across books, films, and web series, the character remains an integral part of Bengali culture, evolving yet untouchable in its classic essence. As the session concluded, the overwhelming consensus was that Feluda is not just a nostalgic relic but a living, breathing entity in the imagination of every reader and viewer. The detective’s adventures will continue to enthrall generations, proving once again that true legends never fade—they only grow stronger with time.