Suchitra Bhattacharya, known mainly for her perceptive writing about the urban middle-class Indian condition, stepped into the world of detective fiction for young adults with her Mitin Mashi series.
About the author
Suchitra Bhattacharya (10 January 1950 – 2015) was a hugely popular and well respected Bengali writer, who passed away at the 65. Her writing focuses on contemporary social issues. She was a perceptive observer of the changing urban milieu and her writing closely examines the contemporary Bengali middle class. She continues to be a household name for her modern stories of family fault lines, but her woman detective is truly unique. Mitin Mashi evokes a sense of nostalgia among many as she was someone who used to be a rage in Puja Barshiki magazines. There are only a few female detective characters in Bengali literature (Mitin, Gargi, Kalabati) and Mitin Mashi is arguably the ‘Miss Marple’ of Bengal.
The main characters
Pragyaparamita Mukherjee, who, like all good Bengalis, is known by her pet name, Mitin. Mitin lives in Dhakuria in South Kolkata, with her husband, Partho and son, Boomboom. (That makes her from our para - neighbourhood.) She works as a private detective and has her own agency called Third Eye. Her husband Partho, runs a printing press.
Mitin is the 21st century, educated, confident Kolkata woman in her mid-30s – a person many of her readers know and identify with. And like many eminent detectives, Mitin has an assistant: her niece, Oindrilla, or as she's called at home, Tupur.
Tupur is still in school. Tupur’s mother is Mitin’s elder sister. Tupur and her family live in Hatibagan in north Kolkata. Since we have an aunt and niece detective team, our detective is Mitin Mashi or Aunt Mitin. Not surprising, since Bhattacharya’s target readership comprises young adults and through Tupur’s eyes we see the world unfolding before them. This is very similar to Feluda and Topshe relationship, the difference being that they were cousins instead. Tupur and her uncle, Partho Mesho, bond over their love of food. Partho is the essential gourmand and regularly patronises Kolkata’s many eateries for their delicious, unhealthy offerings.
DC DD Asnischay Majumdar is another recurring character. A senior police officer of Kolkata Police based in Laz Bazaar who helps Mitin with vital police support helping her to solve her cases and get to the criminal. He has great respect for Mitin but often engages in friendly banter that stems from underlying healthy professional rivalry at some level. This element of a policeman helping a private investigator is a familiar theme in Bangla goyenda kahini (detective stories) with similar instances seen in Byomkesh (whom Inspector Rakhal Babu helps) and Deep Kaku stories (whom his college friend Ranjan who’s based in Lal Bazaar Control Room helps). In case of Feluda, there is no single recurring friendly police character but several police officers who help him myriad cases across the years.
Mitin Mashi is the perfect amalgamation of an edgy professional sleuth and an adept homemaker. You might find some vignettes of Agatha Christie’s Mrs Marple in her activities. She is a working mother who knows how to balancing her work inside and outside home. A lot of the balance is thanks to Aroti. We see also Aroti - an efficient, dependable worker who takes care of the household chores and looks after Boomboom but remains a peripheral character like Puntiram in Byomkesh stories, Srinath in Feluda stories and Habu in Arjun stories.
Kolkata plays a big role in the stories. Mitin Mashi lives in “modern” Dhakuria, whereas, Tupur and her parents live in Hatibagan in north Kolkata, an older part of the city. There are frequent comings and goings between Dhakuria and Hatibagan and comments on the distinctiveness of life in the older part. There is perhaps, also, a regret for the days of yore. Mitin and Tupur also travel with their extended families and we see them on holiday in different locales – needless to say, these holidays also become the backdrop for Mitin Mashi’s search for truth.
What are the stories like
In all, there are 20 Mitin Mashi stories published - a mix of chotoder and boroder golpo. Mitin Mashi’s stories are an amalgamation of the familiar and the unfamiliar, the every day and the exotic. Through Mitin Mashi’s adventures, we are introduced to the histories and cultures of the many communities who have made Calcutta their home – the Marwaris, the Parsis, the Chinese, the Jews. But there is no wallowing in nostalgia – Mitin Mashi drives a car, uses a computer and always has her smartphone handy. However, we are often reminded by Mitin that as a detective, she is not merely interested in solving a mystery but has a higher calling of searching for the truth. Shades of Satyaneshi Byomkesh, did you say? The tone and content of the stories are similar to Feluda than Byomkesh though, especially for the 14
chotoder golpo. The 6
boroder golpo are almost Byomkesh mashed up with urban themes archetypical to Suchitra Bhattacharya.
Chotoder golpo: Most of the stories of Mitin Mashi were published in Anandamela Pujabarshiki magazine (annual magazine Anandamela that comes out before Durga Puja). These are:
- Saranday Shoytan (not the best version - the better version has been removed from YouTube)
- Jonathaner Barir Bhoot (not the best version - the better version has been removed from YouTube)
- Keralay Kistimaat
- Sarpa Rahasya Sundarbone (not the best version - the better version has been removed from YouTube)
- Jhao Jhiyen Hatya Rahasya
- Chhokta Sudoku'r
- Arakiyeler Hire
- Guptadhaner Gujab
- Hate Matro Tinte Din
- Kurie Paoa Pendrive
- Marquis Strete Mirtyufand
- Tikorparay Gharial
- Duswapno Barbar
- Sanders Saheber Pnuthi
Chotoder Mitin
The Mitin Mashi books have the thrill of adventure and detection – why does Shalini have a recurrent nightmare; does the old house in Badridas Temple Street have a vast storehouse of buried treasure; will Ronnie’s kidnappers get caught; why was Rachel Joshua murdered? It is indeed exhilarating for the young Tupur to partner her aunt in such adventures. I came across Mitin Mashi stories via various YouTube channels. The first one I heard was Keralay Kistimaat - I was attracted by the setting in my sasur bari. All stories have been covered there - click on the names about for links to the best version of these stories.
Boroder goplpo: In the Mitin Mashi series, there are also 6 ‘boroder golpo’ - stories meant for adult readers. Of course, Tupur doesn’t feature in these stories. This is a distinct feature of the Mitin Mashi series compared to other popular goyenda series - Byomkesh and Kiriti are mainly targeted for adult readers whereas Feluda and Deep Kaku are mainly for young adults, even though they are universally enjoyed. The only other character (who I know of) that has featured in both young adult stories and adult stories, is Colonel Niladri Sarkar. The 6 stories for adults are:
- Maron Batash (this was the first story adult story)
- Bish
- Trishna Mara Geche
- Megher Pore Megh
- Palabar Path Nei
- Ekta Shudu Wrong Number
Boroder Mitin
The first time I came across a Mitin Mashi ‘boroder golpo’, it was amazing and unexpected - I had been listening to the 'chotoder golpo' thus far. It was almost as if Feluda was solving a complex Byomkesh case... think Feluda going solo and solving Admin Ripu!
Film adaptation
The first Mitin Mashi film has already been released during Durga Puja on 2 Oct 2019.
It is based on the story Hate Matro Tintey Din. Koel Mallick starred as Mitin Mashi in this screen adaptation directed by Arindam Sil.
With no dearth of fictional detective characters to choose from the literature of Bengal, filmmaker Arindam Sil seems to have carved out a niche for himself by making as many as seven film adaptations on such characters. I am yet to see the movie and hope one of the OTT platforms stream it soon. In a Pre-Covid world, Arindam had planned to make the next film of Mitin Mashi franchise and released during Puja 2020. The second film was to be based on Keralay Kistimaat.
Sources:
1: Scroll
2: Wikipedia
3: News articles
